A Charmed Story 11: Enemy In My Mind
by crazyDFFgang
Summary: What if you lose control? What if you make the worst mistake you can make? Who will still be there for you? Who will help you in the darkest hour of your life? Chris will find the answers to those questions soon... !COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

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**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
****Chapter 1**

The sun was shining through the windows while three figures - two larger and a small one - were standing at the diaper-changing table, with a half naked baby lying on each of these.  
"Mmmmm," Cole was wrinkling his nose, "seems you had a great lunch today, Christopher." Then he put the used diaper into the trashcan.  
Chris chuckled as he spread some powder on his girl's butt and gave the bottle to Wyatt who was observing the two men attentively. "Could you give the powder to uncle Cole?" he asked. Wyatt nodded and went the two steps to his uncle, offering him the bottle. Meanwhile Chris took a new diaper and redressed his daughter smiling.  
"Thanks, little worrior," Cole said as he took the powder.  
Wyatt smiled proudly. He always felt like a real big boy when he could help in any way. Chris felt the joy of his brother and couldn't help smiling even more. He really loved to be with his family.  
Every second he could find, he spent with them. But lately it was difficult. There was this Christmas-party they planed for the magic school and there were only six weeks left, then his work as Elder, even if Leo was the one in charge at the moment, and of course... the demons.  
Sometimes he felt he would neglect his family. But every time he felt that way, everyone assured him that he was a great son, a great brother, a great husband and of course the best father in the world.  
Still he wished he would be able to spend more time with them. Especially when he looked at his cute girl who was lying on the diaper-changing table, smiling at him.  
"You're so silent, what's wrong?" Cole asked, turning to him while he closed the new diaper around Christopher's butt.  
"Nothing... the usual feeling of having not enough time for her, you know..." Chris admitted.  
Cole sighed: "Man, you are a great father, and you spend all the time with her that you have...And in addition you sometimes spend even more time with all three kids then your own mother... You are a great daddy... and Hope knows that! And the fact that you worry about this, proves that I'm right."  
Chris nodded, still not really convinced: "I know..."

°°°°°°°°°°

Bianca and Piper were in the kitchen. Surrounded by several boxes and bowls and pieces of food, they were preparing the meal. "Who will be there for dinner today?" the Phoenix asked.  
"You, me, Phoebe, Cole, Chris and the kids..." she answered, "so just the small amount..."  
Bianca chuckled, remembering the last time the whole family was there for dinner and Piper felt like cooking at a canteen kitchen.  
But even if it wasn't such a huge dinner, it was a special one. Because today it was the first day without any obstacles left by the craftsmen. Today they had put the last piece of furniture at it's new place. The enlargements of the manor were finished! And if this wasn't a reason to celebrate, than what else would be?  
It was really funny for Bianca, to cook with Piper. The two women had become really close friends, to Bianca's relieve. She was happy that she was so close to her, to all of them. She had always dreamt of such a huge family, and now this dream had come true.  
"Could you set the table?" Piper asked then.  
Bianca nodded: "If Phoebe will let me... The last time I was in the dinning room, she had occupied the table with her laptop, working on her next column.  
The oldest Charmed One smiled and was about to reply when they heard a scream from upstairs. Startled they turned their heads to the ceiling. But at the same moment, bluish orbing light filled the kitchen, when Chris orbed in with his daughter on his arms.  
"What the hell happened?" Bianca exclaimed confused, when she saw the huge smile on Chris's face.  
The proudly smiling daddy, ignoring Piper's disapproving look, cleared half of the table and then laid Hope on it on her back. "Just look and see..." he said. But nothing happened.  
"Chris..." Bianca said, still not understanding. But then the giggling Hope started to flounder and moving and finally she turned herself - without help - on her stomach.  
"Oh my God..." the Phoenix exclaimed excited and now as proud as Chris, "you can turn around yourself... you're such a clever girl." She smiled widely and took the little girl to her arms holding her tightly.  
Piper chuckled turning to her son: "Ok... I know this is huge... But please... when she begins to sit, don't scream again like a demon is about to kill you honey, ok? You almost gave us a heart attack."  
Chris lowered his eyes blushing. "Sorry," he muttered.  
Meanwhile also Cole and Phoebe and the other kids arrived in the kitchen all smiling and giggling with the proud parents.

°°°°°°°°°°

An explosion was heard through the whole building. Everyone turned their heads around startled, but then they went back to their usual calm work.  
Steve smiled, looking at the broken figure which once was made of china, before he had blown it into pieces. Then he thought, that this must have sound like a huge thunder down there.  
Elenia patted his shoulder, and looked at him with pride written on her face: "You are really talented, son." She was so glad to have him around. After all this time it felt good to be able to openly care again.  
Steve chuckled. It was so good to talk to her again, to have her around when he needed her. Even if he still felt a little weird up there. But it was the best place to train the powers which lie in his genes. He could throw those energy-flashed and he had his forcefield... both was working fine for him now. And his mom said that he could also sense the state other people are in, that's why he always knew when someone was lying.  
"And I'm sure... now that you know, you'll discover more with the time," she had said. First Steve was a little scared by that. He never wanted to be powerful. But the fact that he was half-Elder was something he couldn't deny, now that he knew it.  
"Thanks mom," he said and hugged her. He was happy that she helped him to understand and to control his powers. It was a lot easier this way.  
Then he looked at his watch: "Oh... it's already late, I have to go back." And when he saw the hint of disappointment on his mother face he added: "Nicki is waiting for me... you know..." He smiled, blushing.  
Elenia chuckled: "Don't worry Steve, I understand..." He nodded, then lowered his head to look at his shoes. "What's wrong?" his mother asked caring.  
"Nothing... I just wish I could orb, because then you wouldn't have to orb me up and down all the time..."  
Now she was the one who sighed: "You can't have everything, honey."  
He smiled: "Thanks God..." Then they both laughed and hugged again.

°°°°°°°°°°

Tom and Veronica were walking along the commercial streets in San Francisco, completely engrossed in themselves and ignoring the others around them. It was quite a cold day for a city like San Francisco. But it was sunny, also weird for that time.  
They were completely wrapped up in their coats, and scarves, and she was even wearing a hat, but just because 'it's cool and matches with the coat, and gloves'. Tom has smiled at those words: "Girl you prefer dying from the heat than not being fashionable."  
"What, you don't like it??" she said, feeling angry at him.  
But Tom just shrugged and smiled: "I like you all. Everything that means you and that is you, no matter what."  
She chuckled and grabbed his arm playfully, at which action, he cupped her chin lovingly and kissed her, pushing her towards a wall, by a shop window. They kissed each other, hugged and chuckled, ignoring the disgusted looks of some passers-by, especially those who were older.  
"Have you seen this green dress?" he asked, still gripping her chin to keep on kissing her.  
She chuckled. "Which one? I can't turn to see it..." she said.  
"Oh, you can't?" he laughed. "Or maybe you don't want..." He kissed her softly, and she closed her eyes.  
Once they separated again, she whispered: "Maybe I don't wanna look..."  
"Are you sure? It's a beautiful dress..." he teased, freeing her chin, but she opened her eyes and stared at him, smiling full of love.  
"Sure. But if you want to see it on me... You can just buy it."  
This time it was him that chuckled. "I don't need to see you in a beautiful dress to think that YOU are beautiful," he said.  
Veronica frowned and slapped his cheek softly, playfully: "Bad boy... That's a bad excuse to say that you don't want to buy me the dress." Tom laughed even more, and put his hands around her neck, kissing her again.  
Little by little, they were turning around, until he was against the wall instead of her. At that moment, she opened her eyes again to see the dress, and when she saw it, she pushed Tom against the window and cried, pretending to be angry: "You lied to me!! You were making fun of me, man!"  
Tom laughed heartily now: "I knew you'd not be able to resist the temptation of looking at the...'dress'!" Behind the window there was a disguise of elf. A green one, with a long pointing hat, also green.  
Both of them laughed, holding hands, and resumed their walk. "I hate you..." she said, smiling.

°°°°°°°°°°

A few minutes later Steve and his mom walked down the hallway to Elenia's room, to pick up the boy's bag. It was really impressing how much things had changed since the young man was up there for the first time.  
Chris's bottled-plant-project was really a beautiful thing, because now there were plants everywhere so that the boring white was disturbed by a lot of green leaves and some brightly colored flowers. Jeremiah quickly began to like to take care of those things, that's why everything was growing so well.  
"Alright," Elenia said another couple of minutes later, when Steve had all his things packed together. "When shall I pick you up the next time?" she asked.  
Steve shrugged. He had spend quite a lot time up there lately. And... he was missing his girl a lot. "Well," he said hesitantly, "actually I wanted to spend some more time with Nicki the next week and..."  
His mom smiled. "I see," she said, "don't worry... Take the time you need... Just call me when you want to come, ok?"  
He nodded, smiling relieved that she wasn't disappointed.  
But then he suddenly heard something... a voice in his head. Also Elenia tensed, she had heard it too.  
"STEVE!!!! OH GOD, STEVE!!!!"  
"Nicki!" the young man exclaimed, more worried about her than surprised that he in fact could hear her.  
Elenia quickly grabbed his hand and orbed with him down to where the desperate yell came from.

°°°°°°°°°°

The Elder orbed with her son right into the living room of his apartment to see Nicki flying into the cupboard. Steve turned around to face the intruder. It was a huge demon, with grey skin and a few bumps in his face. His red eyes were staring at the half-Elder. He grinned evilly showing his yellow-black teeth.  
Steve quickly turned to his mother, but Elenia was already taking care of Nicki who lay among the pieces of the cupboard unconscious.  
When he turned back, he saw how the demon prepared a fire ball in his hand. But before the creature could throw it, Steve rose his hand, sending out an energy flash.  
The last thing the demon felt was a burning pain in his chest before he turned to a pile of ashes.  
Steve took a deep breath and then went over to his girl. She started to open her eyes, while Elenia finished the healing. Worried he took her hand and caressed her hair. "Baby, I'm sorry that I wasn't here..." he said when she looked at him.  
She smiled weakly: "Don't... It's not your fault..." she whispered. He smiled back and then just kissed her softly.  
Elenia smiled at that sight. She was so glad that her son had found someone he loved. Being happy was all she wanted for him. And that woman made him happy. "Finished," she announced then.  
Nicki sat up, blushing a little. She knew it wasn't very polite to kiss the man you love like that in front of his mother. "Thanks," she said then.  
"You're welcome," Elenia replied. "Of course I help you. You're part of the family, right?" Steve smiled at the words of his mother and hugged Nicki even closer. He never had doubted it, but to hear that his mother accepted his girl was relieving, somehow.  
"Thanks," Nicki replied, smiling. Then she asked: "Do you like to stay for dinner?"  
But Elenia shook her head: "No, not today. I have to return, there is still a lot of work to do."  
Steve nodded and both rose from the ground to say goodbye.

°°°°°°°°°°

The whole family finally had sat down to the long-awaited dinner. Piper glanced over the table proudly, now it was more like cornucopia and it was the merit of Bianca and her. There were a lot of appetising dishes and plenty patties with different stuff.  
Chris couldn't help smiling when he saw how Wyatt picked out some pieces of apples and apricots from his fruit porridge. The other kids were sleeping in their cribs.  
Cole and Phoebe both were sitting with happy faces, especially Phoebe. She so had missed those nice family dinners and she actually couldn't choose something to eat, because all was smelling so tasty!  
As for Chris, he just enjoyed to be together with people he loved so much. He was giving salt to Cole, when suddenly he had a weird feeling in his mind that something was wrong.  
It was as if something was kind of yelling inside his head, short, strange and the same time familiar. It felt like the Elder-witch should know what this was... It felt like when you know that there was something you knew, something important, but you can't remember what it was. Still it kind of called him too... it was weird.  
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Bianca asked, noticing the worried expression of her husband's face and held his hand tightly.  
"Don't know..." he said slowly. "Something's calling me... I guess I better check it out."  
"Chris?" Cole asked. "Maybe I should go with you? I could..."  
"No-no, I'm sure, there's nothing serious," now his voice sounded very upset cause he had to leave his family again, when he only just began to take a delight in peace and comfort. "So sorry, but I need to go now. I'll come back as soon as I can." He kissed Bianca and disappeared in a shower of blue lights.

°°°°°°°°°°

Kyle couldn't believe his ears. He sat next to Darryl in his office, talking to a woman, who said that she was robbed by a monster. She could describe it very well, what made the things more complicate.  
If there would have been only one case like that, they could have said that the victim was confused and shocked... But this time? This was the fifth robbery in the last two weeks. That was far too much for covering it...  
And it was every time the same: A woman in her thirties was ambuscaded in a side street and chained by a "living" rope. Then a person looking like a monster came and took her money and jewellery if there was any... Then the demon left and the rope "followed" him...  
Kyle made notes while Darryl kept asking. Then he guided the still shocked woman to the exit, with the words: "We'll take care of that..."  
When the young man returned to his friend's office and closed the door, Darryl sighed deeply. "That's not good..." he muttered then.  
"Shall I call Paige?" Kyle asked.  
His friend nodded: "I think there is no way to avoid it... Sadly"  
The younger one frowned: "Why? I mean it sounds pretty much like a demon... that's actually a magical thing, so why not calling them?"  
Darryl nodded again: "I know, it's just... There are already too many people asking about this... I'm afraid to expose them."  
Kyle sighed. That was true. The press had already picked up the news as it seemed. There had been two journalists in the office this afternoon, and there would surly be a huge article in the newspapers tomorrow. And of course the whole department was searching for that monster. "But without them, magic will be exposed anyway... if things go on like that. "  
Darryl nodded: "I know. "

°°°°°°°°°°

Chris had orbed on top of the Golden Gate Bridge. He wasn't sure why he was there. He sat down on the cold metal with a sigh, staring onto the city in front of him. Then he shook his head. That was all so... weird. When he had sat together with his family, enjoying his meal, he felt like something was calling for him. Not like the call of a charge or something. It was more subconscious. Still it seemed to call him to the bridge, but he couldn't tell what, or who... even if he felt that he would know... that he just had forgotten. But the more he thought about all that, the more weird it seemed to be. 'Am I losing my mind now?' he thought to himself. All the powers he had to handle, his witch-powers, the huge Elder-powers and now also Excalibur... Maybe he just would go nuts about all that. He chuckled about that thought.  
"What are you doing here, my King Christopher?"  
The Elder witch turned around, just to look at Julian who took a bow in front of him. "Cut the crap, Julian," Chris replied then and turned back to the sight in front of him. "And it's just Chris."  
"Is our Majesty in a bad mood today?"  
Chris didn't answer so Julian sat down beside him. For a moment none of them said a word, they just sat there side by side.  
"So you already know it, too," Chris finally broke the silence.  
Julian nodded: "Yeah, and Belthazor is actually quite glad about it."  
Chris chuckled: "Really..."  
"Yeah..." the colored witch said, "you know, the demons respect Excalibur as much as the witches do... If now someone will ever find out about our deals... well, then he has an excuse."  
The Elder-witch looked at him surprised. "Shall that mean, the demons won't attack us anymore?"  
"No... it only means that if you're asking for help, you will get it from whoever you ask... That's all." Chris nodded. And when Julian noticed that the Elder-witch wouldn't say anything he asked: "So what are you doing here? It's cold and you only wear a shirt... and actually you should be enjoying your family dinner..."  
Chris turned to him again: "Do you really have to watch us all the time... You don't have a camera in my bed room, have you?"  
The other one laughed: "No... really not... But hey, I saw your daughter turning... really cute!" Chris couldn't help smiling proudly, and both started to laugh a little about that. Then Julian turned serious again: "But that doesn't answer my question."  
"Well," Chris said hesitating a little. Should he really tell him? He was the source's spy... in a way... But on the other hand he knew a lot about the things happening. And he had said if he would ask... "I don't know... I felt like something is calling me, and that call came from here. But here's nothing. I have the feeling that I know what this is about, but I can't remember, you know... It's weird. "  
Julian rose his eyebrows: "Yes man, that IS weird... more than you know."

°°°°°°°°°°

Veronica and Tom opened the door of Veronica's house laughing, playfully. They had had so much fun!! They had gone shopping and then to the movies, but they had not paid attention to it at all... On the contrary, they had spent the whole time giggling and kissing, and bothering the rest of the audience, but they did not mind. They were in so much love!  
And they were still so focused on each other that they did not realise how the house had changed, until Tom tripped on something on the floor and fell. At that moment, Veronica gasped, startled by the sudden movement of her boyfriend, and then she saw it... The whole house was a mess.  
And now Tom was on the floor, also pale. "What the hell...?" he started, seeing the broken furniture, the tore cushions and all the feathers on the floor, as well as the pieces of glass everywhere. Tom took his hand to his mouth. When falling and placing his hand on it to support himself, he felt a sharp pain in his palm, and now he could see why... The glass had cut his skin.  
"Dad is gonna kill me..." Veronica muttered, trembling a little bit. Everything was destroyed. Her parents had left for the some days, and whenever this event took place, the best hobby for the couple was actually spending those days at Veronica's home. They loved it, with all those modern things, and that technology. They could open the fridge with a remote, and control all the devices with a computer. That was really funny and chick, and Veronica loved that stuff. But now, everything was broken.  
Tom stood up slowly, still sucking the blood of his hand as he turned around himself to have a better look at the lounge. Then he looked at Veronica. "We can fix this, don't worry about that. However, I would be more scared for WHO did this," he said, trying to think what had happened.  
She nodded, still looking like absent. He noticed that her hands were trembling and also her legs, so finally, in spite of the blood on his hand, he took her arm and led her to the sofa, or what was left of it, helping her sit down: "Everything is gonna be ok..."  
"But... how??"  
"I don't know..." Tom answered, staring at the void in front of him, and sucking the blood again.  
At that moment Veronica noticed: "Oh, my God, Tom... you're bleeding." She immediately grabbed his hand and started to clean the wound with her handkerchief.  
Tom grimaced in pain, but tried to laugh: "This is just a war wound, girl, nothing bad... Don't worry, ok?" But Veronica was still cleaning it frantically, then wrapping it up with the handkerchief, her hands moving very fast.  
Tom, noticing her nervousness, retired the hand and placed the other one on her hair: "It's ok... Veronica, look at me... Calm down, alright? We are gonna go to my house, and forget about this. Just calm down." She looked at him with watery eyes, and then she nodded. Tom kissed her on the forehead, sighing at the same time: "It's gonna be fine..."  
"Who did this? And why?" she asked, nervous.  
Tom shrugged, trying to show himself calm, but actually a little bit worried: "Mere thieves, I guess. They just came to the wrong place, honey. We'll fix it tomorrow, I promise. Now, let's go..." And taking her lovingly, and leaving all the bags behind, he shimmered. He did not know whether it was better to wait and fix it on their own, or if he should tell someone else. He did not think that was actually magical... But at least, he thought, he had to phone the police, as soon as Veronica fell asleep, not to worry her more.

°°°°°°°°°°

Chris frowned looking at Julian. The demonic witch was suddenly silent and that worried the Elder-witch. "Ok, What's going on?" he finally asked.  
Julian sighed, not sure if he should tell him. But at least he was the new king, he was supposed to be fair and to decide wise... And Julian knew very well that those traits were deeply embedded in that young man's character. "Well... Actually, Belthazor send me here..." he started to explain. And when he saw Chris looking attentively at him, he went on: "He had a weird feeling... like something was calling him... Like he would know what it was, without being able to put a finger on it. But something about that felt also wrong, therefore he send me here, invisible, to see what's going on..."  
Now Chris looked at the man with mouth wide open: "You mean?"  
Julian nodded: "Yeah, it a sounds exactly like whatever it was that brought you here..."  
"Wow..." the Elder-witch muttered.  
Julian looked around, same as Chris did. Then he said: "But I guess here's nothing to find so... I think you should go back to your family, before you get a cold..."  
The young man nodded: "But I will come down to you later if that's ok... I think we need to talk about this."  
"Ok," Julian agreed. "Ask Cole, he knows where to find us... at least I hope he does."  
"He knows where your lair is?" Chris asked surprised. Why had his uncle never talked about that.  
Julian grinned: "Let's say, we gave him a little hint." Then he stood up, just to bow again in front of Chris.  
The Elder-witch shook his head smiling: "Please stop that... that's embarrassing!"  
Julian winked as said: "I know..." Then he shimmered away.  
Chris meanwhile looked around one last time, and then he orbed back to his family.

* * *

_(Chapter 1 written by Chrissy.W.x, Belén and Lidia)_


	2. Chapter 2

**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
Chapter 2**

The dinner had gone on in silence. Chris's sudden disappearance had caused them all to stop talking and keep pensive, only interrupted by the giggles of the two babies, Wyatt's games with the food, and some empty comments by all of them.  
Piper's eyes were fixed on Christopher, wondering if he would be like his older version; or older brother, she should say... Ok, she had already met him and she knew that they would not be exactly the same, Christopher was so different from Chris... But still she couldn't help wondering: 'In the deepest part of him, would he be like Chris? Would he always have those strange feelings, would he have to bear the weight of the world on his shoulder all the time, would he feel responsible for everything?'  
Piper was still wondering when Phoebe coughed a little bit. "Oh, sorry..." she said, noticing the empty plates. Quickly she grabbed the bowl with the salad next to her and gave it to her sister.  
Cole smiled naughtily, and said: "I guess Pheebs is just trying to get me more food before my stomach starts to growl... Ouch!!!" The exclamation was caused by the strong punch of his wife.  
"How often do I have to tell you that I hate that nickname? And no, I give a damn for your stupid hunger!" she answered, angrily, but not enough... as they all could observe in a couple of seconds, when Cole stopped her speech with a kiss on her lips.  
Bianca and Piper smiled, but kept on eating, when Wyatt suddenly said, chuckling: "Uncle Cole likes kissin' Aunt Beebe, Uncle Cole likes kissin' Aunt Beebe!"  
The alluded couple went apart from each other immediately and looked at the smiley child and the others, but Piper raised her hands grinning. "It's only your fault that my son has to learn such bad things..." she said.  
Cole opened his mouth to defend himself when Chris's blue orbing lights filled the room again.  
"Hey... Sweetie, is everything ok??" Bianca asked, turning to him with a worried expression.  
Chris smiled softly, feeling all the eyes fixed on him: "Oh, yeah..."  
"But what was that?" Piper asked, before he could go on.  
Chris shrugged, and looked at his uncle, not knowing well what to say: "I am not sure. But don't worry... There's nothing to worry about, ok?? Maybe I just had a bad feeling for nothing."  
Phoebe stared at him gravely: "Chris, believe me... With your powers, having bad feelings can't be 'nothing'."  
But this gained her a hit from Cole's elbow, who then looked at the two other worried women and Chris: "Don't listen to her, man. If I had believed that all my bad feelings were so bad, I would be dead from a heart attack by now. Sometimes we are just humans, you know that. Bad feelings are part of us, and that doesn't mean that they have to be true all the time..."  
"Yeah..." Chris muttered. He sighed and sat down, smiling. His uncle was right, of course. But he had not had THAT bad feeling. Analysing it, it had just been the feeling of something calling, but now, after knowing Belthazor's implications, there must have been something wrong.  
Cole patted his shoulder, as the others smiled at him, although worried. Worried too, because after becoming the new owner of the sword, Chris had clearly been feeling under a big pressure, even if he didn't act any different just because Excalibur was now placed in a corner of his room. So... maybe he was exhausted... And he had to deal with his job as an Elder, and in magic school, and taking care of Hope and... He had also been wondering if he should find a true job, a human one... Because they would eventually have to live on something. But as soon as he had mentioned it, all his family had turned on him to make him forget about that idea. However, he was still considering it, Piper knew that, and Bianca too.  
"Come on, buddy, maybe it's just that you're too worried. Let's talk about something else, and then you and me are gonna have fun and forget about responsibilities."  
"WHAT??!!" Phoebe and Bianca exclaimed at the same time. Chris and Piper looked at Cole also, wonderingly. "Had you planned something without telling us??" Phoebe asked, shaking her head.  
Chris shrugged and showed them his hands, as if meaning that he had nothing to do with it, he didn't know either. Bianca smiled at him, as Piper found herself too busy, cleaning Wyatt's whole body, after he had decided to spread the peanut butter on himself instead of the bread.  
"What??" Cole asked, in a defensive response: "He's my nephew and I have the feeling that I have neglected him lately and..."  
"Oh, no, that's not true, I..." Chris interrupted, before he was again interrupted by Cole.  
"And I do really wanna spend some time with him, talking, that's all. Don't be so jealous, girls, I am not gonna kidnap him!"  
Bianca laughed, but Phoebe grabbed his t-shirt and pulled him towards her: "You'd better not, or you will have to forget about the present I have for you tonight..." And then she kissed him again on the lips.  
Chris chuckled and shook his head: "We don't need to..."  
But Cole raised his hand over his head, and releasing his lips from Phoebe's kiss, but not his face from her grip, he said: "Oh, yeah, we need to. And yes..." Kiss. "Phoebe..." Kiss. "I won't..." Kiss. "Kidnap him..." Kiss. "Promise..."  
They separated again, to face all the other laughing people in the room. Cole shrugged, blushing. Then he asked: "Ok... Is there any dessert?"

°°°°°°°°°°

Kyle was just about to call Paige when the phone in Darryl's office rang. He sighed. Darryl had just left to go to pick up some hotdogs out on the street, because they had to do overtime.  
So he went over and picked up the phone.  
"Darryl Morris's office, Kyle Turner here."  
"Oh... emmm.. my name is Tom Marsden, I wanted to talk to Mr. Morris, please." The person on the other end of the line seemed a little confused that someone else had answered the call.  
"He's not here at the moment, can I pass him a message?" Kyle asked friendly.  
On the other end of the line was only silence, then the male voice asked: "Kyle Turner? Like Kyle the boyfriend of Paige Matthews?"  
Kyle got an undefined feeling in his stomach and sat down. "Yes," he answered surprisingly calm.  
The person on the other end sighed relived: "Well... I'm Tom, I'm working at the school with her, you know... I'm also... let's say special..."  
"Yeah," Kyle answered not really sure what this was all about, except that this person seemed to be a witch, too.  
"Well... someone broke in the house of my girlfriend... I think it was just a casual human... but I'm not 100 sure... therefore I wanted to ask Darryl if he... or maybe you could... before..."  
Now Kyle began to understand. "I see," he said. "Well... give me your address and I'll come around later, ok?"  
Tom replied relieved: "Yeah that's fine... thanks."

°°°°°°°°°°

After the dinner Phoebe went back to her work, while Bianca and Piper cleaned the table. Cole took Wyatt to his arms and brought him over to the sun room where the other kids had already fallen asleep in the playpen.  
"Christopher sleepin'," Wyatt stated.  
"Yeah little worrior, your brother seems to be tired... what about you?" Cole said chuckling.  
"I'm not," Wyatt answered shaking his head energetically.  
Chris laughed: "That's my brother..."  
Then he turned serious again and Wyatt noticed that. "You're worried?" he asked.  
Cole looked from the boy to Chris, who nodded smiling weakly. "Yeah I am," he said and went over to them. He took the boy to his arms and looked him deep into his eyes. "Big people are worried sometimes, you know," he said softly and Wyatt nodded. "Can you promise me something?"  
"What?" Wyatt asked back while Cole got a strange feeling that there was something more going on.  
"Could you not tell mommy or Aunt Anca that I'm worried?" Chris asked. Wyatt nodded. The Elder-witch smiled and gave the boy a kiss on his cheek: "Thanks brother..."  
Then he put him down and Wyatt went over to play with his cars which were spread around the floor.  
"Ok... what is this about?" Cole asked then, turning closer to his nephew.  
Chris sighed: "I want to visit someone, and therefore I need your help."  
"My help?" he asked back frowning.  
The Elder-witch nodded: "Julian said you know how to find your other half... And I need you to bring me there."  
Cole frowned. He wanted to know what this was all about, but Chris just looked at him beggingly: "Please... I really need your help."  
So finally the witch nodded. But then he sighed. He didn't know that he was supposed to know where to find his former other half. "I... I don't...!" Or did he know...? "The pony," he suddenly said as he began to understand. In his message Belthazor had said he had found it where they had left it... in the cave where they grew up... 'Could it be that he went back there??' he thought.  
"Do you know it, or not?" Chris asked.  
Cole shrugged: "I think I do... When do you plan to go there?"  
"Now!" Chris said dryly, took his arm and orbed with him to the underworld.

°°°°°°°°°°

Paige sighed as she put another file into the archive. This was the most boring temp-job she ever had, she thought. She was working at "Marchery and Partners", a huge company selling paper in all different kinds of forms and colors. And her work was to take care of the archive this week, as long as the person who usually did it, recovered from an illness. All she had to do was take out files if someone wanted some, and later put them back... boring!  
But in just an hour her shift would be over and she would meet Kyle again. The fourth time this week, and it was only Thursday... They had really spend a lot time together lately. She smiled about that thought.  
It was amazing, Paige had never before loved someone this much... He was just so cute and lovingly, that she wanted to spend every second of her life on his side.  
But then... she was a witch and he... She sighed, and then pushed that thought away. She didn't want to let something like that sadden her good mood. Even if her job was still boring. She would be in his arms in just fifty minutes.  
But then her mobile phone rang.  
"Yeah," she said, when picking it up.  
"Hey cutie... how are you?" Kyle asked.  
"Fine... can't wait till you pick me up and we can go home to you and have a Pizza together..."  
Kyle sighed: "Well, that's why I call... I... There is a case I have to deal with, and actually we could need your help in that... But that's something I'll tell you later... And then one of your friends, a... Tom Marsden called, asking me to come over because someone broke into his girl's house..."  
"Tom...? Veronica??? Are they... are they fine?"  
"Yeah, they are."  
Now Paige sighed and leaned back against the shelf. "So... when do we meet?"  
"Actually I wanted to come over to you, to talk to you, and also to your sisters..."  
Paige sighed again, a little disappointed but understanding: "Alright..."

°°°°°°°°°°

After a walk of fifteen minutes through the tunnels of the underworld, Chris and Cole stood in front of a small and casual door. They could have been faster but they tried to stay unnoticed by the mass of demons down there.  
"Actually I had something else in mind, when I said I wanted to spend time with you..." Cole said smiling weekly  
His nephew nodded: "Yeah, but I have to talk to him..."  
"Do I have to stay or..." Cole asked with a sigh.  
Chris was surprised by that question. "You don't want to?" he asked.  
His uncle shrugged: "I just feel a little uncomfortable... I guess it's the environment, you know..."  
The Elder-witch nodded understanding: "But I think he would be pleased to see you... you don't?"  
Cole sighed again, still unsure and feeling kind of weird. But he couldn't help it, he cared about his former other half. "Yeah, I would like to see him... sounds crazy, huh?"  
The Elder-witch shook his head: "No... it doesn't... not after so many years you shared..." Then he knocked on the door, while Cole looked at Chris, thinking about what he just said. His nephew's view on those things amazed him.  
First nothing happened. After half a minute, the door was opened by a familiar face.  
"Hello Julian," Chris said, as the demonic witch let them in. Cole just nodded looking around interested. Even if the furniture and stuff had changed completely, it was still the place where he had lived as a child.  
"I knew you would find it," Julian said smiling and closed the door behind them.  
"Of course he would," a deep voice said, "it's his home."  
Chris and Cole turned around to see the not-so-evil source of all evil standing in a kind of passage way to another room, smiling somehow widely.  
But then silence fell upon the room. For a moment Belthazor and Cole just looked at each other, both a little unsure what to do. Then the latter one walked slowly over to the demon and stopped only inches away. "It's good to see you're fine," he said.  
Belthazor nodded, relieved that his other half broke the silence. "Yeah... It's good to see that you're fine, too, and... it's good to know that you still care... By the way, congratulations to your marriage again. I'm happy that you now have the life you always wanted," he answered, and Cole could read in his eyes that he truly meant it that way. He smiled slightly.  
Then they hugged each other closely with all their heart, and the eyes of the demon seemed to turn a little watery.  
Chris looked at Julian who smiled. "I guess that's something they both needed," he explained to the Elder-witch.  
Chris chuckled a little: "Yeah, so it seems."

°°°°°°°°°°

After talking with Kyle, Tom waited a few seconds with the receiver in his hand, and then he sighed and hung up. He turned to the door at his back. It was half open, and inside, Veronica slept profoundly.  
He stood up slowly and went to her, careful not to wake her up, and once there, he contemplated her for a while, in silence; he stared at the slowly movement of her chest, caused by her calm breathing. Finally, he sat down by her side, and could not help caressing her hair. She shifted and stretched her arms a little bit, which made him stop dead, but she did not wake up.  
Thus, Tom stayed there looking at her for a while, waiting for Kyle to come, as he analysed the situation. He did not know what to think. If it was normal people, thieves... what did they want from them? Was it only because of the technical stuff in the house? It seemed they had destroyed everything, but... Suddenly something struck him with strength: 'Had they actually robbed something??'  
His heart started to beat very fast. What could they want there?? He saw now this question differently; it scared him to the bone. For a moment, he was not sure if it was better that they were normal thieves, or demons. Either one was more serious than he had thought. He stood up again and started to pace around the dark room, as Veronica slept, ignorant of his distress.  
Or so he thought... But suddenly her voice startled him: "Tom... Are you ok??"  
He looked at her, silent for a while since he did not know what to say. "Were you not sleeping?" he asked, finally.  
Veronica sat up on the bed wearily, and sighed: "How can you think that I would be able to sleep with what has happened? I just dozed a little bit..."  
Tom stared at her, feeling so sorry. Then he went to her again and sat by her side, taking her hand lovingly. "I know, these things always scare people, honey, but they're just thieves, and if the police don't find them, we'll do. Think we're over them all," he joked.  
Veronica smiled, but she could not hide her fear. Then he kissed her on her lips: "Hey... I love you."  
She nodded: "I know..."  
They hugged each other for a while, until Veronica felt that she needed to sleep again. Tom help her to the bed, and then stayed sitting by her side, because if he had lied on it, he would have fallen asleep too.  
He did not know how much time had passed, when the doorbell rang, startling them both. Tom went down to it and looked through the little hole, to make sure that it was who he was waiting for.  
"Officer Kyle Turner," he heard. Then, he opened the door.

°°°°°°°°°°

Steve and Nicki sat at the kitchen table, facing each other, eating silently. After Elenia was gone, they had cleaned the room and then the woman had prepared a few sandwiches. Nothing special, but she wasn't in the mood for cooking anymore.  
"Are you ok?" Steve asked after a while. Nicki nodded, but said nothing.  
He sighed and went around the table to sit by her side. "Hey... I know this was a hard day for you but..."  
"It isn't about the demon," Nicki interrupted him. Then she kept silent.  
Steve pulled a streak of hair out of her face, asking: "Then what is it?"  
"Look I'm thinking about that since a few days and..." she said then with a very low voice. And after a short break, in which she thought about if she should tell him at all, she admitted: "It's about us."  
Steve frowned confused: "I... I don't understand... What are you talking about? I thought... I thought everything is fine between you and me..."  
"I know," she replied but it was not more than a whisper.  
Steve closed his eyes and took a deep breath, just when his new-found powers kicked in and he noticed that, even if she loved him, she was worried and confused. It wasn't that he felt it like an empath, he just knew it in a way. He looked at her caressing her cheek. "So then... what is it, that you believe is not alright about us anymore?"  
Nicki turned to him and he could see her eyes welling up in tears. "I'm afraid..." she said. "You've spend so much time up there lately... And your new powers which are impressing, but... Sometimes I get the feeling that I don't know you anymore..."  
Steve shook his head, not believing his ears. It was true he had been up there quite a lot and he had developed his new powers a lot, but... he was still the same person. Or wasn't he?  
"But why haven't you said this earlier?"  
The woman just looked at him: "And when should I have told you that...??? I'm sorry that I wanted to enjoy your short visits and not waste the time with discussings."  
Steve sighed again, realising that she had every right to feel hurt. "Nicki, I'm sorry that you feel like that," he said. "I'm sorry that I wasn't around as much as I should have been... But that was just because all this was so new..." He sighed again and took a streak out of her face. "I was just up there because I wanted to be sure that I can handle my powers, because I don't want to hurt anybody... especially not you... and I guess accidentally frying the toaster was close enough." She nodded and started sobbing.  
"Hey..." Steve said and pulled her into a close hug, "I love you... I love you so much... don't worry, everything will be fine again... I promise."  
"But you can't promise that... because things already changed," Nicki sobbed.  
Steve felt his own eyes turn watery. He couldn't lose her... not like that. "But I do love you... Please, don't give up what we have... I promise you that I will stay now. And not just because you asked me to, but because I want to, anyway... because I missed you, too. And you will see that there is nothing that has changed... But please don't leave me, not after all we have gone through..."  
"I'm not giving up, Steve... That's why I'm feeling that way... If I would be giving up I would already be gone," she said and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you so much," she muttered then.  
Steve pulled her even closer: "I love you too."

°°°°°°°°°°

After some minutes hugging each other, a cough behind Cole and Belthazor made them turn their heads. Chris and Julian looked aside and started to whistle, as if they had not made any noise, but actually it was too faked.  
Cole smiled amused and shook his head, as Belthazor grumbled a little bit and cleaned his eyes surreptitiously, since he hated to be seen by them crying.  
"I get it. We came here for other affairs," Cole said, finally.  
Julian smiled and nodded, but Belthazor grabbed Cole's arm strongly and said: "And do you allow these two little witches to tell you what we have to do??"  
Chris frowned, but Julian raised his eyebrow, and then grinned. "Don't make me talk..." He said, amused.  
Cole smiled, understanding, and chuckled when he heard Belthazor grumble again.  
For a moment Chris grinned, too, before the worries returned to his mind. "Ok... Seriously, guys... What's going on?" he asked, finally.  
"You tell me," Belthazor answered gravely. "You came to see me."  
"Because you sent Julian to the bridge, 'cause you were hearing the same voice."  
"It's just a feeling, not a voice."  
"A feeling, alright..."  
The other two kept turning their looks from one to the other, as if it was a tennis match.  
"Whatever..." Chris sighed. "We need to find out what that is, because it could be something important, don't you think so?"  
The red demon stared at him in silence, and then he nodded slowly: "That's what worries me. When I started to have those feelings, I thought it had something to do with the Underworld, but then we found out it was the same for you, and you are now the most powerful being on earth... So I guess this is not good."  
Chris blushed. "That's not true..."  
Julian burst into laughing, and shook his head. "The boy is right... He's one of the TWO most powerful beings on earth. But you're the other," he said, addressing the demon.  
Cole swallowed, remaining silent, but worried. Thinking of Belthazor as such was scary. But there was something else. When the demon was going to answer, he intervened: "If the two most powerful beings on earth are having those feelings... Something must be really wrong." He had no clue of what was going on, but as he listened to their conversation, he came to dislike it more and more.  
Julian stared at him, and nodded: "Ok, we need to find out what it is. So, please... Explain in detail what those feelings or voices are. Both of you."

* * *

_(Chapter 2 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_


	3. Chapter 3

**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
Chapter 3**

Bianca and Piper had been chatting cheerfully in the kitchen, in order to hide their worries about Chris. It was clear that the two women who most loved him were concerned about him, but at the same time, none of them wanted to show her worries to the other.  
After a while, Piper sighed and dried her hands with a towel that was hanging from the wall, by the sink. Bianca smiled at her silent. Then Piper turned to the door, and frowned a little bit: "This is so quiet..."  
Only Wyatt's voice could be heard, muffled by the distance. He was making the noises of cars with his childish voice. Bianca looked back to check what she had said: "I am gonna see if everything's ok."  
Piper nodded, and went to the bar to clear it up, as her mind flew to Chris and his problems.  
Meanwhile, Bianca entered the lounge, and frowned when she saw only Phoebe, completely focused on her work on the laptop. She had her eyebrows furrowed and looked at the screen very closely. "Phoebe," the Phoenix said.  
The Charmed One jumped on the chair, startled by her sudden voice. Then she smiled, placing her glasses properly on her nose: "Hey... sorry, I was absorbed by this article. It's not easy to write about this kind of stuff when you can't see it objectively, you know? And I think that..."  
"Where's Cole, Phoebe?" Bianca asked, cutting her off.  
Phoebe kept her mouth open for a second, then closed it and frowned. "Err... I thought he was..." she turned to look at the sunroom, "...there with Chris and the kids." She paused and turned her eyes to Bianca again: "That's weird, I thought they were here. I didn't even notice when they left..."  
Bianca did not listen to her anymore. She rushed to the sunroom, where little Wyatt was still playing with the cars, making the noise of the engine. When she passed by the playpen, next to the door in the inside part, she had a look and saw that Hope and Christopher were still deeply asleep.  
"Wyatt," she called the kid's attention. He stopped his game and raised his head with a worried expression, afraid that he had done something bad and was going to be scolded by her. "Where's your brother and uncle?"  
Wyatt opened his mouth to answer but then he kept quiet, staring at Bianca a little bit distressed.  
The girl smiled at him and sat by his side, still worried for them. "Hey, are you playing alone?" she asked. Wyatt nodded, as she wondered how they had gone leaving the boy alone in the sunroom and without letting anyone know. "Did Chris and Uncle Cole have something important to do?"  
Wyatt stared at her, and at that moment aunt Phoebe came in too, and stayed at the door, leaning against the frame of it.  
"Wyatt... Is anything wrong?" But he shook his head and went on playing. "Did they tell you where they were going?"  
"No..." was Wyatt's short answer.  
"Bianca, they said they wanted to talk, remember? Probably they just went to a quiet place with that idea... They will be fine."  
Bianca turned to Phoebe when she heard her talking that way, and stood up again, shaking her head: "Don't you think they would have told us? Would they have left the kids alone without warning us?"  
Phoebe shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. "I don't know... They just told us before... Maybe they just left." She looked at Wyatt out of the corner of her eye, as she talked.  
At that moment Piper came in too, dusting her hands on her trousers. "Is everything alright over here?" she asked, stopping to have a look at the two babies.  
"Mommy!" Wyatt exclaimed, orbing straight to her arms.  
Piper caught him on time, laughing, and had to sit down immediately, as the kid kissed her in the cheek: "Hey, big boy, you're growing fast, you cannot do this anymore, or both of us will fall the next time!"  
Bianca and Phoebe chuckled when the child answered: "I don't let you fall, mommy."  
Piper smiled and kissed him on the forehead, lovingly: "I know, babe... I know."  
Then she turned to her sister and Bianca. "So... what's going on? Where are they?" she asked.  
The two women looked at each other, and Phoebe, with her hands in her pockets, shrugged: "They wanted to talk alone. They'll be back in a while."  
Piper nodded slightly, and Bianca sighed: "Ok, you win... I know, I worry too much..." But she kept staring at Wyatt, who was now playing with Piper's shirt.  
Phoebe stretched and yawned. "Well... I guess I should be ending this stupid article, if I wanna go to sleep soon... Poor Cole if he doesn't hurry!" she said as she walked to the computer and started to type again.  
Piper smiled: "Well, and I think it's the time for the big boy to sleep..."  
"Nooo!!" the little kid protested.  
But Piper bit his fingers very softly and playfully and said: "Oh, yeah... Or tomorrow none will be able to wake you up for the rehearsals for the Christmas thingy at the school." She stood up, taking the boy with her upstairs, and turning to Bianca she said: "Why don't you choose a movie meanwhile? We can watch it, I wanna wait for Leo... I hope he comes soon."  
Bianca nodded slowly and then she went to the shelf where they kept all the movies.  
"But with no sound, please! Woman working here!" Phoebe exclaimed, raising her index finger but her eyes fixed on the screen and her glasses on the nose tip.  
At this moment Paige arrived by orbing, startling Phoebe again.  
"For God's Sake!! Can't a woman work quietly??" she said, scolding her sister, who right after appearing sank down on the sofa, in front of the tv.  
"Any good movie??" she asked Bianca, who had turned to say hello to her, and was still checking.  
"Don't know... What are you doing here? I thought you'd go out with Kyle today..." she answered and asked in return. Phoebe was now paying attention to them again, to honor her own fame of gossiper.  
Paige nodded: "Well, yes... But work is work. He has to..." She stopped suddenly and looked to them both who were waiting expectant. "Ok, Tom phoned to the police station because they've been robbed, but it seems..." She bit her lips and lowered her eyes, knowing that what she brought were not precisely good news: "Well, it seems there could be some demonic action behind this."  
"WHAT??!" Phoebe and Bianca exclaimed at the same time.  
Paige was still looking at her hands on her lap: "What you have heard... Actually, he was gonna check what has happened and then well... he wanted to talk with us."  
"Us? You mean us, WE?" Phoebe asked. "I need to finish this and..."  
Paige interrupted her: "I am afraid he meant us, WE, the three of us, yeah. And any of the family who can help."  
"GREAT! " Phoebe said angrily, as Bianca sighed, sitting down by her side.  
At that moment, when all of them were silent and with worried or disgusted expressions on her faces, Piper came back: "Hey, Paige!" Then she saw all their faces, and still smiling, but a bit surprised, asked: "Something's wrong?"

°°°°°°°°°°

"So..." Cole said, pacing inside the cave from one side to the other, "none of you knows what these voices say, or what they want... You just feel something and don't know why..." The source of all evil and the Elder-witch nodded, so Cole looked at them. "What if you are... empathic?" he asked, recognising that from Phoebe.  
But Julian said immediately: "Chris could, but not Belthazor." The demon grumbled, but he knew his friend was right. There must be something else...  
The colored witch went on, pensive: "Do you feel something now??" Cole also looked at them expectantly, but Chris and Belthazor exchanged looks with one another and then shook their heads.  
Finally Chris sighed: "I guess this was a mistake. We should not have come, there must have been just a feeling."  
But Belthazor grabbed his arm rudely, startling him: "No, it's not, I..."  
Suddenly he roared in pain, and let go off Chris to hold his head. Chris did not even have time to be taken aback by that outburst, since his own head starting to hurt in the same way. He fell on his knees and took his hands to his temples, crying, and tears flowering in his eyes.  
"Hey, buddy, are you ok??" was Cole's voice. He was holding his shoulders and his head, worried.  
Actually, that moment Cole had asked, he was fine... And Belthazor too. Whatever had happened, it had lasted just a few intense seconds. He nodded sweaty and swallowed, still stunned.  
"What the hell was that?" Cole asked, looking at Julian who was helping Belthazor up.  
The demonic witch shook his head: "No idea..." He stared at the demon, who sighed and looked at Chris.  
"Are you ok??"  
Chris stood up, supporting himself on Cole, and nodded sombre.  
"Did you hear something?" Belthazor asked back.  
Chris nodded again, his hands shaking a little bit. "Someone was calling me," was his short answer.  
Cole frowned, as well as Julian, and both looked at the red demon, who just made a sign with his face, meaning that he had heard this too.  
They kept silent for a few moments, staring at each other, and finally Julian said: "Didn't you hear anything else? We can make a spell and..."  
"I wanna go back," Chris said, dryly.  
Cole pressed his shoulder: "But Chris, we can discover what the hell happened, it might be important..."  
"I want to go back," he repeated looking him in the eyes. Julian swallowed and stared at them and Belthazor, who said nothing.  
Finally Cole sighed and nodded: "Ok... let's go then..." He took his hand, waiting for him to orb them both back, as Belthazor and Julian stared at them silently, not even trying to hold them back.

°°°°°°°°°°

When they appeared in the living room, Bianca and Phoebe jumped up and hugged their husbands closely.  
"Where have you been?" the Phoenix asked still worried.  
Chris smiled and kissed her: "Just a little outside, taking a walk."  
"But why did you leave the kids alone?" Piper asked annoyed about this fact.  
While Chris rolled his eyes, Cole shrugged and said: "Because the babies were sleeping."  
"Yeah, and Wyatt can take care of himself, he's old enough and you've been just in the next room..." Chris added, smiling innocently.  
"He's three!" Piper complained.  
"He has a forcefield," Cole added as innocent as Chris.  
Piper was about to freak out, but Paige put her hand on her sister's shoulder to make her calm down.  
Chris just yawned: "Whatever... I need some hours of sleep now, I think..."  
Bianca smiled at him and kissed his nose, then she turned to her mother in law: "Can Hope stay here with Christopher? I guess when we take her out of the playpen and she wakes up, she will never go to sleep again tonight."  
Piper nodded: "Yeah, no problem." Then the young couple said goodbye and orbed back to the school.  
Meanwhile Phoebe looked frowning at her husband: "You're smelling, honey... Where have you been???"  
Cole, who had followed Chris's orbs with his eyes, wondering what had gone on down in the cave, turned now to Phoebe and smiled at her. "Later..." he whispered to her ear.

°°°°°°°°°°

As soon as Chris and Cole had left, Julian turned around. "What the hell happened?"  
"Nothing," Belthazor grumbled and turned to go back to one of the other rooms.  
But the demonic witch stepped into his way: "No... We're friends right? So I want an answer now, because actually you both scared me! I want to know what this is about!!!"  
The source of all evil looked up from the ground. And when Julian saw his friend's eyes, his blood froze. Because what he saw there was fear. The source of all evil was scared to death.  
"Come on... don't run away like that... Please tell me," Julian said again.  
Belthazor shook his head: "I'm sorry, I can't... I just can't..." Then he suddenly flamed out.  
Julian just stared at the spot where is friend stood just a few seconds ago, then he went over to one of the chairs and sat down, sighing deeply.  
Never before he had seen that his friend was scared like that. And that meant that whatever was going on, it must be something huge.  
Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and tried to sense for him. He needed to talk to Belthazor, if he wanted it or not...

°°°°°°°°°°

Chris was taking a shower. Closing his eyes he just enjoyed the warm water caressing his skin. He felt so tired... What he just had heard, had felt down there. It was so... He didn't find the right words to describe it. He sighed pulling the hair out of his face. He needed to relax, to take a break... he just didn't have the time for that...  
Suddenly he heard how the door to the shower was opened. Startled he turned around. "Bianca," he said then smiling.  
His wife was standing there, only dressed with a bathrobe and smiled at him. "Are you sure you're fine?" she asked.  
Chris nodded: "Yeah... I am." He smiled back at her hoping that she wouldn't notice his worries.  
She didn't... or she didn't want to. Smiling she took off her bathrobe and stepped to him under the shower. "I thought... Now that Hope stays with her grandparents... we could have some fun together..." she said caressing his cheek and then let her hands move down to his chest.  
"Wow," he smiled looking at her well formed body. "Have I ever told you that you're not looking like a woman who gave birth to a child just three month ago???" he asked and pulled her close, kissing her.  
"I love you," she mumbled against his lips and returned the kiss.  
But suddenly Chris tensed. And then it was there again, that terrible feeling. Bianca looked at him scared, while Chris hold his head, moaning in pain. She saw how his eyes got darker, then he sank down to the ground.  
"Honey... What is this?" she screamed scared.  
But Chris already relaxed, the pain was gone. Breathing heavily he just sat there feeling the water coming down on him. He closed his eyes and tried to calm down when he felt a hand touching his arm. He opened his eyes again and looked into those of Bianca.  
"God... Chris? What happened???" she asked terrified.  
"Nothing," Chris said, "it was nothing." Then he pulled her close and hugged her tightly.

°°°°°°°°°°

Cole sighed as he passed his arm around Phoebe's shoulders, and hugged her against his body, both of them sitting on the sofa in the lounge. "So we're waiting for Kyle now?"  
Paige nodded. She was still feeling kind of pissed off, since she had just lost the opportunity of going out with him as a normal couple. Those were the moments in which she hated being a witch, even if of the three sisters, she was the one who loved magic the most.  
The three girls and Cole were sitting in the lounge, waiting for the late visit and worried about what was going on.  
At that moment Leo came, too, with a wide smile drawn on his face: "I am sorry I am so late, but the preparations for the Christmas party are taking us so long, because everything shall be perfect. And we... we put Jeremiah..." He stopped and his expression changed into one of suspicion. "Hey, is everything ok here?" he asked.  
Piper turned to her sisters and Cole, but the latter smiled: "No, don't worry. Kyle is having some problems and wants to come and ask us, but nothing to worry about." And he looked significantly at the sisters. It was better not to say anything about Chris's state for the moment, and they three did know even less than him.  
Piper smiled too, and said: "Yeah, he's right... But Paige is kind of angry right now, and it's contagious." Her sister grimaced mockingly when she heard her name, and folded her arms on her chest, while Phoebe grinned.  
Leo frowned, but said nothing. Instead, he went to the playpen and saw the two babies sleeping soundly. "Is Wyatt already in bed?" He asked with a low voice. All the sisters and Cole answered affirmatively at a time. "So maybe I should orb the playpen to the room... It's more silent for the babies," he added, waving his hand to make them disappear. He did not ask about Hope. In fact, he was used to have the girl at home, from time to time (same as Christopher has spent some nights at the school), and he simply guessed that she had fallen asleep and her parents did not want to wake her up, or... perhaps the granny had insisted on having her there for that night.  
"Ok..." he turned to them again. But at that moment, the doorbell rang. Paige jumped off her seat and rushed to open the door.  
There was Kyle, smiling a little bit ashamed: "I am sorry for coming so late..."  
"Good night," Paige interrupted, embracing and kissing him.  
"G-g-good night," he muttered.  
After that, the girl invited him in and closed the door. Then they headed to the living room, where the others were waiting expectant.  
Kyle smiled again at them and waved his hand, a bit shy. That was not the best time to go and visit someone, he had to remind himself that this was a professional one. "I am sorry... I hope I didn't interrupt anything..."  
"It's... It's ok, I guess," Leo answered, looking at the sisters, still somehow confused.  
Piper smiled. "Don't worry, Paige told us... Are they fine?" she asked.  
"Come and sit down." Paige placed a chair by the armchair where Leo was sitting now and invited him to take seat, which he did.  
"Yes, they're fine. But the house was a mess. Tom took me there, bleepering."  
"Shimmering," corrected Cole immediately.  
Kyle nodded. "Whatever. The thing is, I doubt it's something... you know, something 'non-human' by what I saw. But there was some burned stuff. This does not mean that the attackers were supernatural, of course, but I will check it," he explained quickly.  
Leo looked from one to another wondering what they were talking about, but Piper made a signal meaning that she would explain later.  
Paige sighed. "So you will investigate it? You think that someone might be after Veronica's parents because of their money, or something?" she asked.  
Kyle nodded, but very slowly, very hesitantly: "Well... I think it was just because that house is so full of all that technical stuff... and some computer are missing. So if this is just a casual case, then I'll give it to the responsible department. But... actually there is also another thing. Well... lately we are having some..." He hesitated unsure how to say it. But Darryl had agreed that they needed the sisters help.  
"Some what?" Phoebe asked, gesturing with her hands to make him hurry.  
"Some magical robberies in the city," Kyle finished, inhaling air deeply, and feeling all the eyes, magical eyes, fixed on him.  
"It's weird..." Leo said. "We haven't heard anything up there."  
Kyle shrugged: "Well, maybe just because they use a small amount of magic, enough to immobilise the victims..."  
All of them kept silent for a moment, thoughtful, until Cole broke it again, taking his arm from Phoebe and leaning a little bit forward: "You are not saying that those attacks are demonic, are you?" Kyle shrugged, and didn't answer straight forward.  
"You think they could be witches?" Phoebe asked surprised.  
"Oh, my goodness," Piper muttered, taking Leo's hand.  
"We don't know, honey, I guess it could be any of the sides. But I don't think that someone is using magic for personal purposes and risking being exposed," Leo said.  
Cole shook his head: "Well... You never know."  
Phoebe looked at him worriedly, while Paige kept staring at Kyle, who said: "Actually, by the victim's descriptions it looks more like... a demon."  
"We can try to find something out and let you know as soon as we discover something..." Phoebe finally said.  
Kyle nodded and sighed: "Yes, please, that would be useful. Darryl has this case, so together, both of us can keep you unexposed."  
Paige smiled and went to him as he stood up, to kiss him in the lips.  
"Well... I guess I should..."  
"We should leave. Guys, don't stay awake for me!" Paige said, interrupting him. Kyle was shocked, but then he smiled, as she added: "You changed your mind, darling? We have a date..."  
"Of course not... I thought you were tired..."  
"Well there is still a movie on midnight..." the witch-whitelighter replied smiling.  
Phoebe raised her hands pretending to be scandalised and said to Cole: "We should leave too, man... I am not gonna see this!" And she took his hand, pulling him towards the their new room as he chuckled.  
"Good night!" he said from the distance.  
Leo and Piper laughed too, as Paige and Kyle kissed each other again: "I think we should also go..." the Elder said, and suddenly took Piper in her arms. She cried and laughed and kicked at the same time, but it was no use. Leo orbed straight to their room, while Kyle and Paige stayed downstairs, kissing for a while.

°°°°°°°°°°

Chris sat silently on the bed, while his wife dressed herself for the night. He just sat there, his legs crossed, and stared into the nothing.  
Bianca sighed and sat down next to him. Wrapping an arm around him she forced him to look her in the eyes. "Why won't you tell me?"  
"I told you... I said it was nothing!" he replied a little harshly and freed himself from her hug.  
"So?" she shot back annoyed. "It was just NOTHING! Great... You break down in the shower, obviously in pain, but it was just NOTHING!"  
She looked at him, while he rolled his eyes. A fight was the last thing he needed.  
"Why don't you trust me anymore, Chris?" she asked calmly. But before he could answer something, she grasped her bathrobe, pulled it over and said: "THIS will not gonna work this way." Then she left the bed room slamming the door shut behind her.  
But when she crossed the small living room to leave their apartment, Chris orbed in front of her.  
"I'm sorry," he said, looking at her with sad eyes.  
"Then why don't you tell me...???" Bianca asked. Chris was about to say something but his wife didn't let him. Even if she already began to melt again at the sight of his eyes, she wouldn't let him get away with this so easy. "You had been the one who said that we always have to talk to each other," she said angry. "You had been the one who said that this is what a marriage is about, that we share both good and bad moments... So why aren't you doing that now?"  
"I'm sorry..." he muttered.  
Bianca shook her head and was about to leave but he grasped her arm. "I can't tell you what this is about because I don't know it," he said.  
The Phoenix turned around to face him: "What do you mean?"  
"I... I have that feeling in my head," he tried to explain, "it feels like something is very wrong, but...and then it's like someone is calling me... I don't know what, or where those feelings comes from... I've no idea..."  
Now Bianca sighed. Then she wrapped her arms around him and put her head on his chest. "I love you," she muttered. Then she looked at him: "We'll find out what this is about... I promise." Chris nodded. "But first," she went on smiling, "you need a little distraction." And she pulled him playfully back to their bedroom.

°°°°°°°°°°

"Tom?" Veronica asked when she heard the door.  
"Yeah it's me," he said. Seconds later he entered the bedroom and sat down next to her with a sigh.  
"Where have you been?" she asked and her voice sounded very worried and scared.  
He sighed again pulling off his shoes: "I was in your house, with Kyle, Paige's friend form the police. He said he would take care of that." Veronica nodded and sighed. Then he added: "Tomorrow you should call your parents... They should know that."  
She nodded again and then snuggled herself into his lap: "I'll do it, if you promise me, not to leave me again."  
He smiled sadly and kissed her on her forehead. Then he took off his clothes and lay down next to her pulling her close and whispering: "I promise, I'll never leave you again."

°°°°°°°°°°

The following day was a sunny one, with nice weather, through still cold. Chris and Bianca thought that it was the perfect time, that early in the morning, to go for a walk and avoid the big crowds.  
Chris had felt that pain again a couple of times during the night, and now Bianca was fearing that it was not exactly something magical, or related to his powers, but something graver for a human being. What if he had some kind of migraine? Or what was worst... What caused it? The girl had been unable to sleep that night, some terrible ideas spinning in her mind, and making her shiver at every new thought. What about a tumor?? She had shaken her head almost crying. No, that could not be... and if it was, then Leo would heal him, wouldn't he?  
When Chris awoke in the morning, with a slight headache, but ready to go and get Hope, and start a new busy day, Bianca had grabbed his arm and told him that he should relax. And the best way was going for a walk in the town, early, and breath the pure air. Chris was a bit dizzy and was not able to resist at all, so he finally agreed, and now they were at the end of their relaxing morning, about to go back to the manor.  
It was almost lunchtime, and now there were hundreds of people in the streets. However, Chris was feeling better now. That had been a great idea, he had told Bianca, who sighed and smiled relieved.  
Walking back home was also a great idea; maybe that was what Chris needed. Just relax, and forget about his stressing life for a while. He would not admit it but being a witch with the correspondent responsibilities, and also an Elder, with more responsibilities, plus teacher in the magic school, father, husband, and to top it all... owner of Excalibur! Sometimes he really wondered if all this was a little too much for him.  
As they walked slowly along the streets, enjoying the view of the bridge far away in the horizon, they tried to chat about unimportant things. Something that kept the young man distracted from all those responsibilities. At that very moment they had said something really funny, because Chris had burst into laughter, and Bianca chuckled, as she held his hand while they walked, but suddenly, he stopped, and his expression turned serious.  
"Have you heard that?" he asked.  
Bianca frowned and looked around: "What do you mean?" The street was full of people, there was a lot of noise. Of course she heard that!  
But Chris just made a signal and kept listening. There was something... He had heard it... "That voice..." But he had not finished saying it, when that headache came again with all its strength, forcing him to his knees. Chris let go a scream of pain and held his temples with his hands, closing his eyes.  
"Oh, my God... Chris!!" Bianca knelt down by him and tried to help him, but she did not know what to do. Some people had stopped by their side, some just standing by, and others truly concerned.  
Chris's yell stopped, but he was still groaning and sobbing in real pain, his eyes still closed. He felt then a hand on his shoulder.  
"Do you need an ambulance??" the voice asked.  
"No, no, I can... This happens sometimes, he's under treatment," Bianca lied.  
But another voice had interrupted them already: "I am calling the ambulance. It's ok, buddy, you'll be fine."  
"Oh, my God, he looks so sick."  
"Mommy, is he gonna die??"  
"No, no please, we don't need an ambulance, he'll be ok."  
"Chris... "  
"...Yeah... Irving... Seventh Avenue... It's a young man... around 25..."  
"Chris... "  
"Chris, it's ok, you'll be fine. Please, let him alone, he needs to breathe."  
"Bianca...?" Chris was confused by the mixing of voice around him, He opened his eyes slowly, dazed, just to find himself in the middle of a group of people who were staring at him, calling ambulances, and asking the others to move.  
"You'll be fine, honey, but we have to go..." was Bianca's voice. She sounded so worried... Her face was so near his, but he could not focus his eyes.  
"Chris..."  
"The ambulance is coming."  
"Move, move..."  
"No sweetie, he'll be fine. Let's go home; you shouldn't see these things..."  
"Chris..."  
"Bianca..." He was trying to focus his eyes in the front. He had to wink several times, since he could bet he had seen... a demon?? It was a big one, with tattoos and piercings. He smirked at him. Chris closed his eyes again, and breathed heavily.  
"We have to go..." Bianca insisted. She did not want him to go to the hospital... What if that was magic and they discovered something?  
"Don't worry, miss, he'll be fine."  
"Chris..."  
He opened the eyes again, and saw the demon. He was nearer him and Bianca now, he was smirking evilly, and suddenly raised his hand with a fireball on it.  
Chris cried: "NOO!!" And he stretched his arm to shot one of his flashes at the demon, that was vanquished immediately. Or at least, it disappeared... in a weird way.  
All of a sudden, silence wrapped them all. Chris winked again, and looked around. Everyone was staring at him in shock. Everyone.  
"Chris..." Bianca was as shocked as the others, and all her body was trembling. She helped him up, and he could see that literally, everyone in that street was looking at him. "What have you done?" The young Elder swallowed, seeing the hole on the opposite wall. The truth struck him at the moment.  
"Oh, my God..." his mind was clear now, but he wished it wasn't.  
A woman next to him had taken her hand to her mouth, there were a couple of people fainted, but none paid attention to them, the man with the cell phone had it in his hand, but he was staring at Chris, mouth open, and the phone ringing... Some kids who had been playing around had stopped doing so, and a mother had covered her daughter's eyes and was crying, hysterically, assisted by another man who was actually looking at Chris more than the woman.  
"What the bloody hell was that!?" a middle-age man exclaimed, surprised and confused.  
"Chris, we have to go, NOW!" a shivering Bianca whispered, holding his arm.  
"Did I... did I hit someone."  
"No, for God's Sake. Just the damned wall. What were you thinking about? Let's go, before something else happens." She grabbed his arm.  
"Mom, I am scared..."  
"We have to call the police."  
"Don't move!" There was a man with a gun, trembling, in front of him.  
"We cannot shimmer, Bianca..." Chris said, still confused, and seeing what he had done.  
"They have seen you flashing the damn wall, Chris, what does it matter if we shimmer now??"  
Chris swallowed again. "I... I am sorry... This is not what you..." he said  
"DON'T MOVE! Someone call the police!" the man with the gun cried.  
A car was started at that moment, Chris turned to look at it, and Bianca pressed his arm to shimmer with him, but he was faster and orbed away, avoiding a lost bullet that thanks God, just passed by one of the bystanders, making everyone cry in fear and shock.

* * *

_(Chapter 3 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_


	4. Chapter 4

**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
Chapter 4**

"Another robbery," Kyle said, dropping a small folder with some papers he had just filled in.  
"Another magical one?" Darryl asked raising his eyes from his work. Kyle just nodded. He looked so tired... Actually he had spent half of the night with Paige, then he had returned to his work, early in the morning - after a short two-hours-nap.  
"Something new about it??" Darryl asked.  
His colleague shook his head, sighing tiredly: "The same as always, I am afraid. Magic ties, and the victim said it was looking like a monster... I talked with the sisters and they did not know anything, but they promised they'd help. He explained. Darryl nodded.  
"So meanwhile, we..." Kyle continued, but Darryl frowned and made him stop with a gesture of his hand. Then he stood up and approached the window separating the office from the rest of the station, as Kyle turned to follow him with his eyes.  
"...I saw that, he threw a ray with his hand and..."  
"Lady, please... We are just asking you to relax and think about what you saw... We cannot base an investigation on this..."  
"But I know that man!" she went on.  
At that moment Darryl stormed out of his office and told the officers that he wanted to take care of that case. "Go on working, I'll take charge of this... Could fit to my other case..." And saying that, he smiled at the woman and invited her to his office, where Kyle was waiting, following attentively their movements. She seemed to be very nervous. When she entered the office, she sat down and started to talk hastily.  
"There was no storm, and I DID see a ray!" she exclaimed when he interrupted her to try and convince her that maybe a storm had caused that... "And I know the man. He's my neighbour, but I always knew they were a weird family. All that noise and lights in their house..."  
"Wait... You know the man?? What's his name?" Kyle asked, exchanging a look with Darryl.  
"The Halliwells. I think he was that one... Christopher?? The brother of one of them, or cousin, or something like that." Then she turned to Kyle: "Have we met before?"  
The young officer shrugged and looked away, hoping that she hadn't seen him, one of the few times he had visited Paige at home.  
Darryl meanwhile opened his eyes widely, but tried to keep calm: "We don't say that you're lying or that we don't trust you, but... You need to understand that this matter is very delicate... We cannot go there and say: 'You're under arrest for throwing rays with your hands...' We need to be sure that what you saw is what..."  
"Turn on the radio," she said, determined.  
Darryl and Kyle frowned, but she insisted peremptorily, so Kyle went to the radio and turned it on. He started to check all the stations until he found one related to the city.  
_"... And suddenly he started to throw rays with his hands..."  
_Kyle changed it immediately, scared, and surprised by the victorious look in the woman's eyes.  
But as soon as he changed, he heard:  
_"... According to some witnesses, rays coming from his hands, hit a wall. We don't know if there are any casualties, but if some doubt is left, more than two dozens of people saw this man and the woman who was walking with him disappear magically, in the middle of a light, and..."  
_"Enough."  
Kyle turned off the radio, and looked at Darryl, who was completely taken aback by the news.  
"I told you! And I can take you to this man and his family." The woman said, triumphantly.  
Darryl sighed. He was more worried than ever before. 'And we didn't want to expose them...' he thought.

°°°°°°°°°°

Michael and Angela sat side by side on the sofa watching TV, but not really paying attention to the program. She had snuggled herself into his arms and just enjoyed that he was there this morning.  
He had worked really a lot the last weeks, therefore he had taken a few days off.  
"I love you," he whispered to her ear, making her chuckle, when his breath caressed her neck.  
But then something made them turn their heads to the TV.  
_"It was like in a scifi movie... the rays come right out of his hand and hit the wall..." a woman said hysterically._  
Michael and Angela looked at each other and then back to the screen.  
_"He must be a demon or something... Armageddon, that's the Armageddon," a man exclaimed. Then the reporter was seen again: "No one has an explanation for what happened here, but everyone says the same. A man with dark hair and light eyes shot some kind of energy out of his hands in to that wall behind me..." And the camera zoomed to a big hole and then back to the woman. "... and after that he disappeared with a dark haired, tanned woman who seemed to know him well, turning into some blue lights..."  
_Michael jumped up: "I need to go over to them!"  
"Do you mean..." Angela said, "... this was Chris?"  
"I don't know," he said while pulling on his shoes, "but whatever is going on out there, they will know it..."  
Angela nodded and stood up too: "Alright... I'll drive."

°°°°°°°°°°

Steve was in the kitchen, cooking, completely unaware of the fact that Nicki watched him from the door. "I'm sorry," she said suddenly, startling him.  
"What? Oh..." he said while he turned around, "I didn't notice that you're awake..." Then he frowned: "Why are you sorry?"  
"Because of last night... I..."  
Steve sighed and put down the spoon. Then he went over to her and hugged her: "Don't be sorry... you didn't do anything wrong." The couple had spend half of the night talking. It had made them feel relieved, both of them, that finally the things were said and not longer hidden. But still it wasn't a very funny talk.  
"I am sorry... I didn't want to ruin the night... I mean..." she said.  
He kissed her hair and hold her even closer. "We have thousands of nights, but only if things are fine... So it was good that we talked, honey. We needed it."  
She nodded. Then she asked: "Will you really stay now?"  
He smiled and then kissed her before he answered: "I will... as long as you want me on your side..."  
She smiled and hugged him again, when they suddenly heard a voice from the living room.  
"STEVE??? NICKI??? WHERE ARE YOU????" It was Tom's voice.  
Nicki turned around and went out of the kitchen. Steve shut down the oven and followed her.  
"What's wrong?" he asked when he entered the living room.  
Tom and a slightly pale Veronica stood in the middle of the room, close to each other, pointing at the screen of the TV which one of them had turned on before the other two entered.  
Nicki and Steve turned to see the local news of San Francisco... and with every second they went paler and paler.  
"Alright," Steve said then to his friend while he switched off the tv again, "can you shimmer us to the manor?"  
Tom nodded holding out his hand: "That's why I'm here."

°°°°°°°°°°

"WHAT??!!??!!??!!" Piper exclaimed looking at her son who sat there on the sofa like a picture of misery, Bianca next to him holding his hand.  
"I can't believe that," Paige said, shaking her head.  
"But how...?" Leo asked.  
Cole interrupted him: "You've heard him, he had seen a demon."  
"But there was no one there," Bianca said.  
"Thanks God that you hurt no one," Phoebe remarked.  
"But still that changes nothing!" Piper exclaimed turning to her son. "YOU EXPOSED MAGIC! Damned! How could you do that?"  
Chris closed his eyes, shaking his head. He couldn't believe all that on his own, and his freaking out family was the last thing he needed at the moment. "I was acting on instincts... the demon wanted to shot Bianca... how should I know that this wasn't real?" he then snapped back angry.  
Suddenly Paige's mobile phone rang and she left the room to talk in private.  
At the same moment Tom shimmered in with the others. "We've heard in the news about someone..." Nicki started, but then she looked at Chris and saw something weird in his expression, which made her stop. The others saw that too, and it gave them a bad feeling.  
"Don't tell us that this was you..." Steve said speaking out what the others thought.  
Chris said nothing, just stared back at his friend. But that was enough to make them understand.  
"Oh my God..." Veronica muttered and held Tom's hand tightly.  
At that moment Paige returned, the expression on her face very serious. "The problem is more huge than we had thought."  
"What happened?" Leo asked.  
The witch-whitelighter sighed: "That was Kyle on the phone... one of the people who saw you Chris, was Mrs Nobel"  
"THAT Mrs Nobel, the annoying bitch who..." Phoebe said. And as Paige nodded she muttered another: "Oh my God..."  
Chris leaned back shaking his head. He couldn't believe that all this was happening. He couldn't understand it. What had he done to the world that the fate always put those huge stones in his way?  
Bianca caressed his cheek: "Hey honey... we solve this, don't worry..." Chris only nodded weakly.  
Just that moment another well known person shimmered in. "Chris I... Wow... what happened here?" Julian asked when he saw all the scared and worried faces.  
"What are you doing here Julian?" Cole asked back with a sigh.  
The demonic witch frowned but then explained: "Well... Belthazor just freaked out a little, throwing fireballs all around him... and therefore I wanted to see if Chris is fine."  
While the others looked at the newcomer confused, because they had no idea about the things that happened in the underworld the other day, Cole rose from his seat: "Is he alright? I mean he didn't hurt himself or something, did he?" he couldn't believe that he had completely forgotten about the huge red demon. And now he was really worried that something could have happened to him.  
Julian smiled understanding: "No... he's fine, he just demolished most of our equipment."  
Cole sighed relived while Chris mumbled: "That explains why you don't already know."  
"Don't know what?" Julian asked, worried on his own.  
"Chris exposed magic," Steve said bringing the things to the point, gaining some disapproving looks from the others, but no one said anything.  
Julian looked from on to the other not believing his ears, when bluish orbing lights filled the room. "CHRIS... thanks God you're here," Silas said.  
The Elder-witch just smirked while Piper grimaced and said: "I was wondering when you would show up..."  
Silas looked at her for a second but then turned to Chris again: "Man, you have to hide... The Cleaners are after you..."  
"WHAT?" everyone exclaimed.  
"They can't do that!" Piper said.  
"He's an Elder!" Leo remarked.  
"They don't care," Silas explained. "Jeremiah, Odin and Elenia are trying to detain them, but they can't do that for long. You have to go!"  
Chris's eyes were terrified now, where should he go. "That's useless... there is no place to hide from them..." he said with fear in his voice.  
"There is..." Julian said. "The Cleaners have the same sensing-power like Elders... they can't find you when..."  
"... you're in the underworld," Leo ended his sentence. Chris sighed.  
"But you can't hide down there... if the demons find you..." Piper remarked with the worry of a mother.  
"We'll protect him... I know a place where even the demons won't be able to find him," Julian said. Then he looked at Chris who nodded.  
He was about to stand up, when Bianca hold him back, worry written in her face. "Be careful," she said and kissed him.  
"I will..." he said, "I love you..." Then he rose and took Julian's hand.  
"We'll find a way to clear that mess," Piper said and hugged him.  
Chris smiled weakly: "I know." Then Julian shimmered them both away.  
All the family looked at the spot where they had stood for a little while without saying a word. Then Phoebe turned to Cole: "I think you have to explain some things to us."  
"What?" Cole, Paige and Tom asked at the same time while all the others observed the couple wondering.  
"I felt you knew what Julian was talking about... you had been down there yesterday, right?"  
Piper and Bianca now looked at Cole with mouth wide open. But before anyone of them could say something, the doorbell rang.

°°°°°°°°°°

As soon as they reappeared in the Underworld, Chris could not help looking around him, anguished. Slowly all the events began to sank into his mind, slowly he understood how much his life would change when they couldn't solve this. Suddenly he felt the friendly touch of Julian on his arm: "It's ok, we'll find out what's going on." Chris swallowed and nodded with a worried expression on his face. "Let's go," the colored witch went on, pulling him towards their cave.  
"He doesn't know I am coming..." Chris said, referring to Belthazor.  
"Don't worry. He knew I was going to check on you."  
Chris nodded again, looking around. He was not afraid of demons, real demons. He was afraid of seeing an imaginary one again. What was happening to him? To both of them??  
"Over here." Julian had let go off his arm, so that the young man could just follow him.  
"I know the way... Why didn't we just shimmer straight to your cave?" he asked, worried.  
"Just because I made a spell there. No magic can be used inside, just to prevent Belthazor from doing any harm in case he'll have another outburst," Julian explained, as he kept walking. "So no orbing in, even if it isn't good to open the door, either... could weaken the spell."  
After that was said, the demonic witch could feel that Chris had stopped. He turned back and saw his worried countenance. That boy was so helpless!! Of course, what he had done would have terrible consequences, and not to know what was going on was awful... But seeing Chris that way made him feel so sorry for him! He was just a child... Well, not a child, ok, but a child for him. And that was what he looked like at that moment.  
Julian, in spite of his tough character, tried to smile reassuringly: "They are gonna find a way to fix that, Chris. Or we will. I promise." And he stretched his hand inviting him to go on. "Come on..."  
Chris sighed and started to walk again, mumbling: "I hope you are right..." He was saying that when they crossed the door to the cave, and all of a sudden he found himself standing in front of the huge red demon that was so familiar to all of them.  
"Welcome, Chris..." he said.  
Chris smirked. "Hi again. It seems our destinies are more linked than we thought." the young man replied bitterly.  
Belthazor said nothing; he just let them in, and closed the door behind him. "What are you doing here?" he asked, more curious than angry. He was wondering if Chris would actually know something about their problem.

°°°°°°°°°°

Michael stormed into the house as soon as Phoebe had opened the door. "What are you doing here?" she asked with a heavy sigh. She liked them both, but... right now...  
"We saw the news," Angela explained.  
"Don't tell me it was Chris..." Michael added worried.  
Phoebe shrugged: "He was... But I think it's better when you just go home... I guess it will not take long until..."  
"NO!" both exclaimed at the same time. And then Angela added: "Where are they?"  
"Bianca is in the living room," the empath said. Angela nodded and went over there.  
"And Chris?" Michael asked.  
Phoebe sighed again as she led him to the living room, too: "Somewhere where the Cleaners will not find him... hopefully."  
Michael just nodded as he entered the room. He saw his wife hugging Bianca and went over to them, too. He sat down next to the worried woman and took her hand silently.  
Right that moment, the baby-phone went on and they heard a soft cry. "I go and check them," Piper said and rose. She had put the kids to sleep, after they had returned from the rehearsals for the play.  
"I'll help you," Cole said and followed her upstairs.  
Leo and Silas followed them with their eyes and then looked at each other again. They didn't know what to do. No one could fight the Cleaners... Ok, Piper did, but now they would be more careful, they surly would be prepared for a new confrontation.  
"What exactly are the Cleaners?" Angela asked then.  
Silas sighed: "They are those who protect magic. They can alter the time if necessary. They do all that is necessary to keep the secret."  
"Even if that means to erase someone's existence," Veronica added.  
"They once took Wyatt and made us forget him... just because he played with his powers..." Leo hissed. He still felt a kind of anger when he thought about that.  
"But you got Wyatt back," Michael said.  
Paige nodded: "Yeah, but I think this time it won't be that easy." All the other magical beings in the room nodded in agreement.  
Short after that Piper and Cole returned with the kids. When Wyatt saw the newcomers he ran over to them, yelling: "MICKEY! ANNY!" And he jumped to Michael's lap and asked: "You wanna play with me?"  
"Yeah, of course man," Michael said and Wyatt pulled him out of the room to the sun room where his cars still lay on the ground.

°°°°°°°°°°

Darryl and Kyle were still hearing witnesses... There came more and more every minute as it seemed. And both were sure that they couldn't keep things at hold any longer. They had to go to the Halliwells, there was no way to avoid it. Mrs Nobel had been too clear in her descriptions. They had to arrest Chris at the end of the day.  
"We can't do that," Kyle said after another witness had left the office.  
Darryl nodded: "But we have to... there is no way to stop this anymore..."  
"There must be one," Kyle replied stubbornly. "We just can't let that happen... we can't put him into jail!"  
"And what is it, that you want to do?" Darryl asked. He felt like his friend, but he had no idea how to prevent the things from happening.  
"I don't know... maybe... Yeah what if we tell them that it wasn't him but that demonic thief who's walking around, there..."  
"And then Mrs Nobel identifies him and they will accuse him also for that... if they aren't already doing it..." Darryl said shaking his head. Then he added: "Look... until now he has done nothing more then destroying a little bit of private property, he hasn't hurt anyone... So maybe it won't be that bad..."  
"Not that bad?" Kyle exclaimed, still trying to keep his voice low. "He exposed magic... To THEM he is a freak! What do you think they will do to him?"

°°°°°°°°°°

Michael and Wyatt were playing with the boy's cars. It wasn't what the man wanted to do, but at least he did help by taking care of Wyatt so that the others could concentrate on helping Chris.  
"You're worried?" Wyatt asked then, noticing the expression of his friend.  
Michael smiled: "A little..." He didn't want to worry the boy. He knew he would if he would know. Even if Wyatt was only three, he and Chris were too close.  
"Chris's worried too," the boy suddenly said.  
Michael looked at him frowning: "You can still feel him?" Wyatt nodded energetically.  
The man sighed. If the Cleaners would find out about that... No, they couldn't use him to find Chris, could they. "Ok, Wyatt, listen... You have to do me and also Chris a favour, ok? Don't tell anyone that you can feel him, alright?" The boy nodded.  
Then they heard a noise from the living room... Like something was blown up.  
Michael took Wyatt by his hand and went, carefully not to be seen, to the door to look into the other room.  
There were two men, dressed completely in white. They looked at the sisters, who's looks were very angry.  
"Leave my house!" Piper yelled and again tried to blow them up. But all that was broken was a vase in the background.  
"We want Chris..." one of the man said.  
Michael turned around a little more to see where his wife was. Then he noticed that she stood behind Silas, trying to hide. He sighed, relived, knowing that the Elder would protect her.  
At the same time Wyatt took a look into the living room, too. When he saw the Cleaners his eyes grew wide with fear. He had to go away from them. 'They are evil,' he thought. He grabbed Michael's hand, holding it tightly, and orbed with the man away.

* * *

_(Chapter 4 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_


	5. Chapter 5

**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
Chapter 5**

When Michael realised what happened he looked around, first confused but then scared. They were in a cave.  
He turned to the boy, picked him up and hold him close. "Where are we?" he asked, fearing the answer.  
"Demon's home," Wyatt replied.  
Michael was shocked even if he had already knew it in a way. "W... W... Why?" he muttered.  
"The men in the white dress... they are evil... they took me away from mommy..." Wyatt said nearly crying.  
Michael shook his head to clear his thoughts. 'The Cleaners... it must be them, they had taken Wyatt once,' he knew that... but... "You do remember that?" he asked the boy. Wyatt nodded.  
From somewhere they heard a groan... a very unfriendly one.  
Michael looked around scared and then back at Wyatt: "And why did you bring us here?"  
"Go to Chris..." Wyatt said determined, "my brother will protect us."  
"Great..." Michael mumbled looking around. "Ok, buddy," he said then, "which direction?"  
Wyatt rose his hand and pointed at a tunnel, actually at the most darkest one.  
"Great, just great," Michael mumbled. He sighed looking at the boy. Then he went into the tunnel.

°°°°°°°°°°

Chris wanted to say something, but Julian took the word. "It seems we missed a lot since you broke our computers..." he said to the demon, but not angry - more in a teasing way. But then he turned serious: "Chris will stay for a while... he has to hide from the Cleaners."  
Now Belthazor opened his eyes widely. "What have you done?" he asked.  
Chris sighed: "I've blown up a wall..."  
"A wall?" the source asked not sure what to think about that...  
"Yeah... in front of about thirty people..." Chris admitted feeling guilty. Now the demon sighed. This was huge.  
"It seems it happened at the same..." Julian tried to explain, but Belthazor interrupted him.  
"I'm not stupid, Julian," he said harshly. Then he turned to Chris: "You can stay under one condition."  
"And that is?" Chris asked fearing the source could want something he couldn't give him, like some more powers or something more huge and more worse.  
"You help us to find out what's going on here... alright?" the source said instead. Chris nodded relieved and Julian smiled.  
A moment later it knocked on the door. Julian and Belthazor frowned. Then the demon led Chris into another room.  
As soon as they where out of sight, Julian asked through the door: "What's the code?"  
"Julian? Is that you?" he heard the answer.  
The demonic witch was frozen in surprise for a second, then he quickly opened the door. "Michael..." he exclaimed shocked and let them in. The man just smiled confused and put Wyatt down, who looked around interested.  
"Michael?" this was Chris voice who appeared just a second later.  
As soon as Wyatt saw his brother he went over to him and hugged his legs. Chris could feel the huge relief his brother felt this moment, and that made it impossible for him to be angry at his brother. He sighed and picked him up. "What are you doing here, little brother?" he asked.  
But that moment Wyatt clenched his fingers into Chris's shirt and stared at a spot behind Michael who had stepped besides them. "Demon," he muttered scared.  
Michael turned around, scared too. Just to look into the eyes of Belthazor.

°°°°°°°°°°

The two men in white were standing in the middle of the circle made by all the members of the Halliwell family and their friends. They did not show any emotion at all, they just stared at Piper and Leo...  
"Well, there must be another solution..." Steve started, but when he felt Nicki's hand pressing strongly his arm, he shut up immediately.  
Tom and Veronica stood by them with worried looks in their faces. How were they going to escape that situation? Both of them turned to Steve when he talked, scared to the bone of the reaction of those weird men who did not belong to any of the sides.  
"If there were more solutions, we would not be here, young man," one of them answered, despotically.  
"We proved you that there are always other ways, you bastards!" Piper exclaimed, unable to stop herself. Leo looked at her, shocked and very scared, when one of the men glared at the Charmed One.  
"We will find Chris and do our job, and there's no way you can stop us," he said threateningly.  
Paige stepped forward, seeing how Cole hugged Phoebe tightly. "Over our bodies, gentlemen," she said with sarcasm and hatred at the same time.  
This made the two men in white smirk and shake their heads. "Paige Halliwell, you know that's not a problem for us, if we want to preserve the state of magic as it's now."  
"Wait," Silas then intervened. "You can't destroy the Charmed Ones because they are necessary to keep the balance between good and evil. And anyway, you should know that Chris Halliwell is way too important too, for this purpose. We, the Elders, are responsible of his actions, and promise now that we'll fix this."  
The Cleaners stared at him with an indecipherable look in their eyes, while the others held their breath, waiting for the resolution of the situation. Finally, the one who had not spoken yet, said: "You have twenty-four hours. Then we'll be back, and then you better have Chris here." After those words, the Cleaners looked at them one by one, and then disappeared.  
Right after that, Piper burst into tears in Leo's arms, but Cole stared at the sunroom, where Michael had been with Wyatt not long ago. Actually, he was the only one who had seen him orb with the child. Thanks God Angela had not noticed, hidden by Silas. But as soon as all of them noticed, they were going to freak out.

°°°°°°°°°°

"Inspector Morris!" The door of his office opened soundly, letting a man come in. He looked really angry, all his face red in rage. The two men were startled by his outburst, and looked at him surprised, but they did not have the opportunity to utter a word.  
The man just put a pile of papers on his table, causing a strong thud, and yelled: "Can anyone explain me what is going on??"  
Kyle looked at his friend and then at the intruder, but said nothing. However, Darryl stood up and glared at the man in front of him: "May I ask who the hell you are?"  
The man who had just arrived opened his jacket and showed him his FBI badge: "Agent Anderson. And now, why did you not inform us of these disturbances?"  
Darryl frowned, faking his surprise and ignorance. "What are you talking about?" he asked.  
The agent looked at Kyle who shrugged. "You do know what I am talking about! Those people outside are going crazy with those things they saw, and you just keep the secret and do nothing!"  
"WHAT?" Darryl cried, very angrily. "First, this is my case, this corresponds to the police of San Francisco, not the FBI, and I don't have to inform you of anything. Second, we are taking care of this case discretely, and I assure you, we are doing a good job." Kyle swallowed, as his friend went on: "And if it's not a problem for you, just please go out of my office and go back to your work. Let me do mine!"  
The FBI agent glared at him, and stepped forward a little bit more: "No, you're gonna listen to me. This case is in federal hands from now on, and you are not in the case anymore."  
"What??" This was Kyle, who was freaking out now: "This is a case inside the boundaries of this town, not even the state... You don't have the right..."  
"I have. We have it. We have had robberies and pick pocketing of the same nature as here all over the country, and this is the last and bigger magical case. This is now a national problem, inspector Morris, and therefore, this is MY case now."  
"No, you can't... you cannot do that..." But the agent was leaving the office already.  
Kyle turned to Darryl, pale as the snow, and the inspector lowered his eyes, and sat down, feeling his fingers tremble in a weird way.  
"We have to do something..." Kyle stated the obvious.  
Darryl nodded and picked up the phone, but then just hung up again, and looked in Kyle's eyes: "Maybe it's better if we just go there... Before the press takes advantage over us."  
"They're gonna relate us with this, or they will think we are helping them!" Kyle exclaimed nervously, as he saw how Darryl put on his jacket.  
"I never risked anything for them. Not really. And they always risked their lives for all of us. Do as you like, I am not gonna mention your name at all. But I am going," he said, and left his office, closing the door strongly.  
Kyle sighed, thinking about Paige. Then he hurried to take his jacket and rushed out of the room: "Wait! Of course I am going!"

°°°°°°°°°°

"Demon..."  
When the child said that, Michael had turned scared just to find himself facing Belthazor. "Aaah... ahh!!" he exclaimed, jumping backwards.  
But the demon grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and brought him towards his face. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, a bit angry but looking like furious because of his physical appearance.  
Michael, who had met the demon once, could not help feeling really scared: "I... Wyatt..."  
"Did you think this was like an orphanage or something like that?"  
Meanwhile, Chris was trying to calm Wyatt down: "It's ok, Wyatt, I am here..." But with Belthazor's outburst the child had started to cry. This moment Chris was glad that no one could use their powers in this place. Otherwise he wouldn't know what Wyatt would have done by now, out of fear.  
The red demon was going to yell more, when he felt Julian's hand on his shoulder: "Come on, friend, calm down. He didn't choose to come and we have more important things to deal with now." Belthazor grumbled a little bit and let a very pale Michael go.  
"Don't worry, he cannot use any power here." Julian whispered at Mike's ear, winking, as the source went over to Chris.  
"Alright, but please make him shut up. I think I have a headache..." the huge demon said unnerved.  
Chris glared at him, but answered nothing. Actually they were technically in HIS house.  
"Wyatt, look at me," he separated the boy a little bit from him so that he could see his eyes. "Don't you think I would be worried?"  
"But you are worried..." Wyatt sobbed.  
Chris smiled at him reassuringly, and answered: "Yeah... But not because of this ugly red demon." He grimaced. Belthazor looked at him and rolled his eyes, as Julian chuckled. But Michael was still trying to get over.  
Wyatt laughed a little bit seeing Chris's expression, but then he put his thumb in his mouth and mumbled: "They came for you, Chris..."  
This time Belthazor and Julian exchanged worried looks and Michael held his breath. Chris frowned: "Who came?"  
"The men in white..." Wyatt sobbed, still a little afraid of Belthazor.

°°°°°°°°°°

"Where is he?" Piper asked as she stared into the empty sun room. Angela and Leo stepped next to her frowning.  
"Well..." Cole said hesitating, "I guess Wyatt orbed with Michael away."  
"WHAT?" Angela exclaimed scared.  
But Piper kept her coolness. "What did you see, Cole?" she asked, knowing that freaking out wouldn't bring them back.  
"I saw them in the doorway," he answered with a sigh. "It seemed to me that Wyatt was afraid of the Cleaners."  
"So where could they have gone to?" Steve asked. He and Bianca had followed them, too, when they heard Angela's panic filled voice. They had caught the last bit of the conversation.  
"Maybe to the school?" The Phoenix suggested.  
Leo shook his head silently. He sighed and admitted: "I don't think he's there, because I can't sense him..."  
"And that means?" Angela asked. Noticing the sudden tension in the air and wondering what was going on.  
"That means he's probably in the underworld," Steve explained which gained him a punch in his side by Bianca.  
Angela just stared at him shocked. Her husband was in the underworld? Where the demons live? "Oh my God..." she muttered turning pale.  
Piper sighed and put an arm around her: "I'm sure he's fine... I guess Wyatt brought him to Chris..."  
"You think so?" Bianca asked surprised.  
"Yeah," Piper explained, "it's the most likely possibility. Chris is Wyatt's hero... So if he's afraid he orbs to him because..."  
"But..." Leo interrupted her confused, "do you think Wyatt can sense him down there?"  
"He can..." Cole and Steve said in union and then looked at each other surprised before smiling.  
Bianca took a deep breath, wondering why Chris had never told her that... or had he? She wasn't sure anymore... Nevertheless... "What are we going to do now?"  
"Find out what happens to him..." Piper said determined. "If we know what this is about we'll maybe find a way to solve this on our own..."  
"And Wyatt?" Leo asked.  
Cole shrugged and started to speak before Piper could: "I think I know how to find out if he's safe... I just need someone to orb me down there..." Cole said.  
Piper was about to answer, that he should go with Leo and get her baby-boy back, when the doorbell rang again.

°°°°°°°°°°

Phoebe sighed, when she entered the attic followed by her younger sister and their three friends. They had to find a way to solve this... they had to find out at least what was going on... They just had to.  
"Ok," she said, turning around to face the others. "Veronica, Tom, Nicki? Could you shimmer to the school and check the library there? Me and Paige will check our books..."  
"Alright," Tom replied grabbing his friends' hands.  
But Nicki freed herself. "No..." she said, determined, "I want to stay... at least as long as Steve does..."  
Everyone looked at the girl frowning. "But we could need..." Veronica said. But the young woman interrupted her: "I said no..."  
Phoebe sighed as her powers kicked in and she realised what this was about. Nicki was extremely afraid of losing Steve and that was why she didn't want to go. So to prevent more fights she said: "Alright... I go with you two... and you Nicki, you can help Paige." This was the easiest solution. Still she made a mental note to talk to Nicki later. Then she took the young man's hand and Tom shimmered them away.  
Short after that, the other two heard the doorbell. "Oh no... The mob is coming..." the witch-whitelighter said sarcastically.  
Nicki frowned and walked over to the window: "Do you think so?" She looked down on the street but there was no one to see. Again the doorbell rang. "If there is a reporter, then it's only one... No cars, no cameras to see," the young woman announced.  
Paige sighed hoping that whoever was ringing down there, didn't mean something more worse then the 6-o'clock-news.

°°°°°°°°°°

After the Cleaners were gone, Silas orbed up there to do some more research. When he appeared in the main place, Jeremiah was waiting for him. "And? he asked.  
Silas shrugged: "Chris is hiding, I'm not really sure where, but somewhere were the Cleaners can't find him at the moment..."  
"That's good," the other Elder said, still worried, "because we couldn't stop them."  
Silas nodded: "I know... I met them down there..."  
"And?" Jeremiah felt his worries return.  
"They gave the sisters twenty-four hours..." he answered shortly. Because he had other things in mind. "Where are Odin and Elenia?"  
"In the library," Jeremiah answered and gestured for Silas to come with him.  
They walked silent side by side and Jeremiah's thoughts moved on to Chris again. When he had first met that future-boy, that half-Elder, that... well he hadn't liked him to be polite. But now he know it better. Chris, the owner of Excalibur, the Elder... and as he hoped, his friend. Because lately they got along really well... Jeremiah felt truly sorry for how he had treated Chris so long. He had to help him, he just had to find a way.  
"What are you thinking about?" Silas asked after a moment, knowing very well what it was.  
"Nothing," Jeremiah replied and his friend nodded.  
Another few moments later they reached the library and quickly found Odin and Elenia submerged in a few books.  
"Something new?" Jeremiah asked, grabbing a book on his own, while Silas looked around first.  
"Actually... maybe..." Odin said deep in his thoughts.  
"WHAT?" Jeremiah and Silas exclaimed at the same time, startling the other visitors of the library. Jeremiah looked around blushing slightly and apologised. Then he turned back to Odin.  
"Well... we found some hints about a demon who once tried to kill the source of all evil," Odin explained.  
"And what has that to do with Chris?" Jeremiah asked wondering  
"Well..." Odin went on, "it seems a demon who was able to manipulate someone's mind, tried to force the source to kill himself."  
"And what has that to do with Chris???" Jeremiah asked again, not understanding.  
Meanwhile Silas sank down to one of the chairs and sighed. Then he asked: "You think that's a side effect?"  
"Either that," Elenia said, "or that demon is after Chris himself."  
"Ok... Please stop!" Jeremiah interrupted them. "Side effect??? What are you talking about here?"  
Odin sighed and gestured his friend to sit down. Then he began: "Actually that was Leo's idea and Chris seemed to agree when I talked to him about that the last time... of course this was a while ago, but I doubt his opinion has changed. Well... The source re-appeared nearly at the same time like Chris pulled himself out of time... So Leo thought that this could be the work of the higher balance of powers... like a counter-balance for Chris..."  
"And now you think there could be more about that?" Jeremiah asked. "That's impossible... and you know that..."  
"Yeah, maybe," Silas said, "but I met Julian at the manor." He left that statement like it was, leaving the conclusions to the others. Then he went on: "And still this demon is the best thing we have... I guess it's worth to have a closer look on that." The other three nodded.

°°°°°°°°°°

All the people in the lounge had turned to the door when the doorbell rang. Cole had looked at them, hesitant, but it rang again, so Bianca had just pushed him. "Go now!" she had exclaimed.  
Cole had looked for Leo with his eyes. He would go, but he needed someone to orb him. The doorbell had rang once again.  
"Ok, let's go down there..." Leo had said, finally, grabbing his arm.  
As soon as they had disappeared, Bianca went to the door and opened it, expecting the reporters and journalists, and thousands of stupid cameras flashing and blinding her right after opening it. But instead, he saw a very anguished and distressed Darryl, followed by a not less worried Kyle.  
"Hey..."  
"Where's Chris?" Darryl asked, almost pushing Bianca aside, and going directly into the living room.  
"What? Why do you want Chris?" Piper demanded, alarmed by his sudden appearance.  
Darryl started to look at all of them and tried to see if Chris was there, but he couldn't find him. Kyle came after him, followed by Bianca: "Didn't Paige tell you? ... Where is she?"  
"Actually she did. And that's why Chris is hiding..." Steve explained, not sure if he had talked more than he should.  
Piper was still staring at Darryl, as well as Bianca, both women more than worried: "You don't come to take him to prison, do you?"  
Darryl sighed: "Actually, we're out of this case. It's not in our hands anymore. The FBI is after Chris now, we just wanted to warn you."  
"WHAT!!??" all the people asked at a time.  
Kyle nodded, resigned and still looking for Paige: "They'll come sooner or later, and you should know it's not very recommendable to try to trick them out..."  
Piper went pale, and felt a little dizzy, so she sat down and looked at the nothingness in front of her. Angela was sitting near to her, without knowing what she should do, and thinking of Michael. She needed him back... This situation was so weird!  
Bianca was also panicking. "What... what does that mean??" she asked. "I mean... What do they want from him?"  
Kyle shrugged, uncomfortable, and Darryl shook his head, feeling all the looks on him. "We don't know... We have never had a case like this, but you must know that the FBI has a special department, a secret one, devoted to these kinds of cases. I guess Chris is the living proof that these things exist, and they do really want him," Darryl explained.  
Kyle nodded. " I already worked for some FBI agents before, and helped them with this topic. Before coming to San Francisco, I was working in another city, and some FBI agents came asking for some people in my station who could help them around, because they were following a good clue. I got to know some about what was going on in the FBI. They have thousands of files related to supernatural stuff. This is, somehow... a modern witch hunt, Piper," he explained bluntly. They needed to know. They did really need to know that, since now their secret was out. "Not that they actually found anything back then," he added, "but this...?"  
Everyone kept silent, shocked by that. Bianca sobbed a little bit, and Steve went to take her hand to calm her down, as Piper shook her head peremptorily.  
"What... can we do?" Steve asked. "Is there anyway we can help here?"  
Darryl and Kyle exchanged looks, and then sighed. "If you mean a magical way... That's the only way of helping him right now," the latter said.  
Darryl nodded at Kyle's words: "We need a miracle, boy."  
Angela felt a thrill, but said nothing. Her brain was working fast, trying to understand and find a way to help, inside her limited possibilities. Apart from that, the others in the lounge were the picture of desolation and helplessness.

°°°°°°°°°°

"And that's why you are here?" Chris asked after Wyatt had told him about the Cleaners. The boy nodded and the Elder-witch could feel his fear. Chris still wished he could kick their asses for taking Wyatt away, even if it was just for a short time.  
Softly and lovingly he hold his brother close to him and whispered to his ear: "Don't worry, they will not get you again... nor me... never."  
"You promise?" Wyatt asked.  
"I do," Chris replied hoping that his brother didn't notice that he actually wasn't so sure about that.  
"So let's help me clear my mind for a second... Wyatt orbed you two down here... why?" Julian asked then, looking at the casual mortal.  
Michael, who had stepped backwards until his back reached the wall, just looked at the source with fear. But he said nothing.  
Chris sighed. Then he looked at Wyatt and said: "I guess Wyatt was afraid when he saw the Cleaners, they took him once, you know... He was afraid and... he knows I will always protect him." Julian sighed, then nodded.  
"Yeah... very sweet," Belthazor said, "but now send him back home!"  
Chris nodded. He wanted to do that anyway. The cave of the source wasn't a place for a kid like his brother. "Ok, Wyatt," he said. "I'm sure nobody will hurt you at home... mommy and daddy will protect you."  
"But I don't want to go home!" Wyatt cried.  
Chris sighed: "Buddy that's no place for a kid... even if it's such a great and powerful one like you are."  
"I want to stay with you..." Wyatt sobbed even more.  
Michael just looked from Belthazor to Chris and then back to the demon. HE really wanted to go. "Wyatt..." he said therefore, "but... I want to go... so could you just bring me back?"  
But the child wasn't paying attention to him. Wyatt just kept focused on Chris his arms wrapped around his brother's neck.  
"I can't stand this," Belthazor grumbled. Angry he went over to the brothers mumbling: "I promise you, you will..."  
He couldn't say more. Because when he approached Wyatt, the boy rose his forcefield around him and Chris and with this made the source of all evil fly backwards to the wall.  
All the others looked shocked at the small boy, who had put his forcefield down again, while the source awkwardly got back to his feet.  
"Didn't you... didn't you say no one can use magic in here?" Michael asked shivering, fearful looking at Belthazor.  
Julian nodded and then turned to the boy: "How have you done that?"  
Wyatt looked from on to the other not sure what was so special about the shining ball, which he had created so much often before.  
Meanwhile Belthazor approached them again. "Alright," he mumbled, "stay if you want, but this is my house so if I tell you something you do as I say!"  
Wyatt nodded hugging Chris closer again.  
"Wow," a familiar voice said all of a sudden. All heads turned around just to see the smiling face of Cole. "Sorry if I disturbed you guys with something... but the door was open..."

* * *

_(Chapter5 written by Chrissy.W.xand Belén)_


	6. Chapter 6

**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
Chapter 6**

The people in the living room heard some steps form the stairs. Kyle and Darryl turned around to see Nicki and Paige rushing down to them.  
"Hey baby," Kyle muttered as he wrapped his arms around the witch-whitelighter, "I missed you." Paige just smiled and gave him a kiss in response. But a sigh from Piper made them stop.  
Then the oldest Charmed One said: "Ok... Nicki, Steve you should go to magic school, or home or whatever... you really shouldn't stay here."  
"What? Why?" Nicki and Paige asked at the same time.  
"Because the FBI took over the case of Chris... and also the one about the robberies..." Steve explained with a sigh  
"Wait!" Leo exclaimed, who had just returned orbing into the kitchen and now entering the living room, too. "Don't tell me they think that there is a connection."  
"Hey Leo," Darryl said, "and yes, I'm afraid they do..."  
Piper was close to tears now, not because of sadness, but because of anger. She felt like the whole world was against her son. And all of a sudden the glasses in her back exploded, making everyone startle.  
"WOW!" Leo exclaimed rushing over to her and holding her close. "Relax honey," he whispered to her ear as she hid her face in his chest. "Everyone ok?" he asked then looking at the others. They all looked kind of shocked but nodded.  
Paige noticed that Kyle had turned pale, but she felt him already relaxing again. Then she turned to Steve and Nicki: "You really should go... You don't need to be pulled into this... That would help none of us." The couple nodded. "Ok, so I'll take you to the school," Paige added and her friends nodded again.  
"And I take care of Darryl and Kyle," Leo suggested and his wife nodded.  
"No!" Kyle exclaimed kind of angry. "I will not go!"  
"But... you have too... What do you think will happen, if they find you here?" Paige said caressing his cheek lovingly.  
"I don't care," he replied, with a soft smile. "I love you, I belong to your side... and therefore I stay." Both looked deep into each other eyes and then chuckled.  
"Ok, then only Darryl," Leo remarked with a sigh. "And don't complain... you have a family waiting for you." Darryl nodded.  
"You should also go," Steve said then to Bianca. "You had been with Chris, not to forget that you are his wife... So I guess the FBI would love to talk to you, too..."  
Bianca nodded: "But I don't..."  
"No, sweetie," Piper said, "he's right... go to the school where you are safe... and take Christopher, Hope and Angela with you... just to be sure..."  
The Phoenix nodded with a sigh: "Ok, than I can also take Steve and Nicki..."  
Then they all hugged for goodbye and orbed or shimmered away, leaving Paige, Kyle and Piper behind.

All the faces in the cave were looking now at Cole, who stood at the door, smiling but a little bit embarrassed.  
After some seconds, Julian went to him and pulled him inside, closing the door with a strong thud: "Are you crazy?? First, what are you doing here? And second, how did..."  
"Enough, Julian," Belthazor said, gesturing to make his friend let him go.  
Julian did as he wanted, and sighed, resigned: "That door must be closed; maybe that's why the child was able to use his powers. I am not sure if the magic I made will stop working when the door is open..."  
Michael was still against the wall, looking at the demon and all the others trying to keep his legs steady and not fall, destabilised by his own shivers. What the hell was he doing there?? He just wanted to go home, at least to go to the surface... or whatever.  
Chris, meanwhile, was staring at Wyatt who kept grabbing his shirt, a little bit scared. Was that really the reason why he had been able to use his powers? Or was it the fact that he was so powerful, that in a moment like this he would lose the control over them? Maybe his fear had triggered that, and he didn't even know... And if this worked for his brother, could he maybe use his own powers, too? Was there even a way, to stop them from using them? But then his thoughts went back to Wyatt... Would he be able to heal already?? Would he be able to... resurrect?? He had never stopped to think that before. He knew adult Wyatt could, and he had discovered when he had resurrected him. But then, he had assumed that little Wyatt would be able to do it in case of necessity. However, now he was wondering if he was mature enough to have those powers developed. Or if those powers, even if undeveloped yet, were somehow there already, and would be prompted out by an extreme situation. But his thoughts were immediately interrupted by the others' conversation.  
"I don't know, but this is starting to be more like a meeting place, rather than a hiding cave," Belthazor grumbled, pacing in the room restlessly.  
"I am sorry, guys..." Cole said, while he stared at Chris and Belthazor curious. "The family was worried about Wyatt. And..."  
"And you just thought: 'Hey, maybe he went to see Uncle Belthazor in the Underworld'!" the demon answered, feeling very pissed off about the entire situation.  
Cole just shrugged, amused, and answered: "Well, actually that's what he did, didn't he??"  
Wyatt, who had still his little fist clenched in Chris's clothes, was looking at Cole now, curious. Why did his uncle and his brother and everyone talk that way to that ugly demon who had tried to hurt him before? He was scared, but still... "Uncle Cole, I want to be with Chris. I am not going to home," he said, determined. Chris smiled.  
"Don't worry, Little Warrior. I am not gonna separate you from Chris," Cole said, smiling. Then he turned to Belthazor: "You know? Sometimes they're like an appendix of each other..."  
"This is not a place for little children," the demon said, feeling bothered.  
"It'll be ok, I will take care of him," Chris said, kissing his brother's forehead. "Maybe it's better if he stays... We don't know what they will do to him to reach me."  
Julian lowered his head when he heard that. The situation up there was probably very hard for all of them. This time Chris was in real troubles.  
"Well, fine, because we don't have toys," Belthazor insisted.  
But Julian smiled and punched him playfully: "Come on, Mister Grumbler, let's focus on our problems. He's just a little child... Or are you afraid that you might become fond of him?"  
Cole chuckled, and Chris smiled surreptitiously, as Belthazor grumbled again.  
"Ok... Maybe I should go, and tell them that everything is ok, but Wyatt wanna stay."  
"YES!" Wyatt said before the others could have a chance to reply. At that sudden answer, even Belthazor had to laugh.  
"Alright," Cole sighed turning to Julian again, "Can you take me and Mike home?" The demonic witch nodded smiling sadly at him.  
Meanwhile Michael looked at the demon with a mixture of confusion and fear. He knew from Chris that he wasn't a real threat to them, but still... And how could Chris let Wyatt stay? Was he nuts? "I... I don't think..." he found it hard to speak when the demon glared at him. "I don't think you should let Wyatt stay here," he finally said.  
"I'm not very happy about that either, but it's the safest place at the moment..." Chris answered with a sigh and everyone else, even Belthazor, nodded in agreement.  
"Come on," Julian said grabbing the shivering hand of the man, "you'll be home in a couple of seconds.  
Cole went to his other half again, with a cheeky smile on his face. Then he turned serious: "Protect them, ok? I count on you, that you won't let anything happen to them."  
Belthazor smiled and then pulled the man into a hug. "I will brother... as long as you promise me that this won't be your last visit down here..." he whispered.  
Cole smiled while he returned the hug: "I promise... brother."  
Wyatt's eyes grew wide when he saw his beloved uncle hugging that demon. He was completely confused now as he turned to Chris, who was smiling, too.  
But then the Elder-witch noticed his brothers confusion and turned to look at him. "Don't worry," he said and hold him close, "they are just really long friends..."  
"But that demon is evil..." Wyatt whispered a little afraid.  
Chris smiled and then sighed. How should he explain all that to the little boy. "Well..." he said, "I guess a part of him is... but he cares about us, about you, too... he won't hurt you, don't worry."  
Wyatt nodded but still felt uncomfortable. So he put his head on Chris shoulder and his thumb in his mouth, observing Belthazor suspicious.  
Meanwhile Cole and Belthazor had separated. "See you later, brother," he said. And then, turning to Chris he added: "Don't worry, you'll be home sooner than you think."  
Chris nodded and then Julian, Michael and Cole left the cave to shimmer back to the manor.

When Bianca closed the door to their small apartment she sighed. Angela had taken the babies to the kindergarten, so that she had a moment for herself.. a moment to think... Slowly she went into her bedroom and again closed the door behind her. She looked around. She looked at their bed which was still a mess from the last night... a sleepless night. She looked at the nightstand with the book on it, which Chris was reading at the moment. He never managed to read more then a few pages in a row, as long as it wasn't magic-related. That thought made Bianca smile a little. Then her eyes moved on... She looked at the stone with Excalibur which was placed in the corner next to their wardrobe. And she still didn't understand why he wanted to have it in their bedroom... Then she looked at the table where they had placed all the frames with family pictures. She looked at all the things that she had, all things which were images of the new good life she was supposed to have, in this time. But right that moment, her life was anything else like that... She wasn't even sure if she would ever see him again... Chris... The man that meant so much to her... The man who was everything to her... What should she do without him. And she leaned back against the door and sank down to the ground, crying...

When Julian shimmered Cole and Michael into the living room of the manor, where the others were sitting, Michael sank down to an armchair very pale, but relieved to be back in the light.  
Cole meanwhile went over to Piper: "Greetings from you son..."  
"Which one?" she asked back.  
Cole couldn't help chuckling. Then he turned serious: "Let me quote him: 'I want to stay with Chris!'... That's what he said..."  
"WHAT?" the oldest Charmed One exclaimed. And Cole nodded.  
"Actually," Julian interrupted, "I think it's the best solution... because Wyatt was able to find him..."  
While Piper still looked at him with an undefined expression, Paige sighed: "Well, maybe he's right? I mean... what if the Cleaners try to use him to find Chris?"  
Piper's head flew around: "But he's with..."  
"... with Chris!" Cole interrupted her. "Wherever that is..."  
The oldest Charmed One understood. They shouldn't talk about where they were exactly. "Still I don't like it!"  
"Where is Phoebe?" Cole asked then.  
"At the school," Paige replied. Then she added knowing his thoughts: "But you have to stay, we could need your help."  
The man looked at them surprised: "What shall I do?"  
"We could need you as lawyer," Piper explained.  
Kyle nodded: "Yeah, Darryl lost the case... to the FBI!"  
The three newcomers looked at him in shock. "Oh my God..." Michael mumbled.  
Piper nodded. Then she sighed again: "Ok... Julian, could you shimmer Mike to the school please?"  
At that moment Odin orbed in. "Maybe we've found something!" he exclaimed excited.

Nicki and Steve were on their way to the library. After a few yards Steve took her hand into his and pressed it slightly.  
"You're worried, right?" Nicki asked.  
Steve nodded: "Yeah... he's one of my best friends, and..."  
Nicki stopped and forced him to look into her eyes: "And?"  
He sighed: "And I was thinking that... Well... I have the same power...And... What if that happened because he's just half-Elder, what if that's a side effect of that? What if it hadn't been him, but me?"  
She smiled at him and took his face in her hands. "But it wasn't you... and I bet there is something going on which is not natural... otherwise Chris wouldn't do that... So, please, don't worry..." And with this she gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "I know you will never do that..."  
Then they heard some loud voices from the library. Frowning they went on, and the more closer they got the more voices they heard. Nicki and Steve went on faster.  
"But if even our headmaster isn't following the rules..." someone said.  
"Why should we do it?" they heard another voice.  
And then they heard a girl: "But he's Chris... not anyone... he's THE Chris... someone must have tricked him..."  
"Whatever... I don't care about the rules either... I want to..."  
The voices were getting louder and louder. And when the couple reached the library they saw Phoebe, Veronica and Tom in front of about thirty young witches who were disappointed, angry, hurt or just cheeky... all of them had already heard of what Chris had done...  
"Ok, what is going on here!!" Nicki exclaimed with the usual bossy tone she used with her students. All of them shut up immediately and turned to her, surprised.  
"Peace... Finally!" Phoebe sighed, letting herself slip down into a sitting position on the floor.  
Nicki walked to them, with her hands on her hips and her brows furrowed. She was pretending to be mad at them, which made Steve chuckle surreptitiously, as he walked behind her.  
"Thanks God you're here..." Tom said, winking at the girl, who did not show any sign of having heard.  
"Hush... She needs to concentrate on her acting," Veronica whispered, a little bit amused.  
"We have heard the news, Mrs. Nicholus!" a little daredevil explained.  
Nicki stared at him defiantly: "And?"  
The boy just shrugged, feeling uncomfortable: "Well... Mr. Halliwell has exposed magic."  
"Yeah, he always tells us not to do it, and we cannot even use it for good things, just not to expose it," added a girl who was not so confident, but looked more like confused.  
"As our headmaster he shouldn't do that, should he?" another girl stated, who was standing in the last row.  
At that last statement, all the others looked at each other and started to murmur things, at which Nicki raised her hands and hushed them again: "Ok! We are civilised people, aren't we?? And we have to solve this as civilised people do, which is not arguing and talking all at the same time." She made a pause and looked slightly at Steve and Phoebe, who encouraged her to go on. "You all know Chris Halliwell. You all know or think you know his story. He's a legend for this school, a hero. At least, you know that he had to go through a lot to get us a future we should be grateful for. And now..." She paused again. "Now that he has made the only mistake of his entire life, you judge him without listening to what he has to say??"  
All the students stared at her silent. Some lowered their eyes, sadly, and some were still angry.  
"Have you thought at least of what he is going through right now?? Have you thought of the danger he could be in? Of what this could mean for him? Do you have any idea of what could happen to him??"  
"He will betray all of us and all the world will know about magic, and..."  
"Damn it!" Tom interrupted suddenly. "Don't you understand? Is that what we are teaching you here?! I can't believe it."  
Silence again. Steve and Phoebe shook their heads, desperately, and Veronica sighed.  
"He would keep the secret come what may. He would sacrifice himself for all of you, for us. But it does not matter; you will never appreciate what he's done for magic, for this school... For the world," the Charmed One said with teary eyes.  
Nicki looked at her, moved, and even though she wanted to say many things, she kept quiet. The students were suddenly silent as tombs.  
"No one can say how he'll act. You always say this. He always says this: We are humans above any other thing. And humans in all the possible senses," a boy answered, shyly.  
Phoebe shook her head again, and went to the entrance, tiredly. Once there, she looked at them before leaving: "Believe me. He would do that, because some humans are heroes, and he is one."  
"How can you know?" another asked girl, gaining a furious look from Steve Tom and Nicki.  
"Because I am empathic. And I am his aunt, and know him very well." And after those words, she left the room.  
For a moment no one knew what to say. Most of them felt bad after realising that they were right in some way. Chris was also a person, with feelings and a family that worried about him. But they had been talking of him as if he was no one.  
Finally Veronica's voice brought them back to reality, softly and sadly: "Ok, guys. I think it's time to go back to your classes. Those taught by Chris will be suspended for now. We'll let you know about the others shortly. If any of you still wanna help Chris, please... Just go to class."

"What did you find?" Julian asked, before anyone else could say something.  
"A demon," answered the Elder. "There is a demon who once tried to kill the source, he manipulated his mind. It is described that the source was first only suffering a pain in his head before he began to see pictures."  
Julian frowned, but said nothing. Cole meanwhile looked at Piper before he turned to the Elder and asked: "And you think that demon is after Chris?" Odin just nodded. He didn't want to share this other little detail about a possible connection to the source. He would just confuse and scare everyone even more, if he did.  
At that moment also Leo returned. When he saw his friend he asked: "What's going on here?"  
"Odin has a trace," Paige said.  
"His name is Veenosh, we couldn't find more about him, but maybe there is something at the school library or in your book," Odin said. Then he turned to Leo: "I guess we both should go there and check that... I have to talk to you anyway."  
"Ok," Piper said to Odin, "You both go and take Mike with you please." Then she turned to Julian: "Go and tell them... maybe your friend knows something about him..."  
Julian nodded: "As soon as our computer is fixed I'll contact you."  
"But could you tell me first what's going on here?" Leo asked impatient. He knew the name of the demon from somewhere but couldn't remember. And what had this to do with his son?  
But at the same moment the doorbell rang. And short after that they heard a strong knock and someone yelling: "FBI! OPEN THE DOOR!"  
Piper turned to Leo terrified and commanded: "GO!"  
Her husband nodded and orbed with Odin and Michael to the school, while Julian shimmered back to the underworld.

Chris looked up when the door was opened again. He sat with Wyatt in a corner of the cave, while Belthazor was pacing around.  
"Anything happened?" the demonic witch asked. Belthazor shook his head. Julian sighed relived.  
"And at home?" Chris asked fearing the answer.  
Julian sighed again, but this time it was because of worry: "Actually you have now also the FBI on your tail..."  
The Elder-witch looked down and took a deep breath, while Belthazor mumbled: "That's not good."  
Chris nodded: "Yeah... But there is nothing we can do about it as long as we don't know what's going on..."  
At this, Julian informed his friends what the Elders had found. "You never heard of that?" he finally asked the source.  
Belthazor shook his head: "No, I haven't... but I'll check the books, maybe I'll find something."  
Julian nodded and then turned to Chris and Wyatt who yawned. The witch smiled: "Meanwhile I'll show you a place to rest a little... Seems you need that."  
"Thanks," Chris said. He was tired too, because he hadn't slept much the last night. But still... "Thanks, but I'm here to help."  
Belthazor laughed: "Go and rest a little first, that's no problem..."  
Chris nodded and then followed Julian who led him into another part of the liar.  
"You can rest here," the demonic witch said as he opened another door, "that's my bedroom and I guess you will feel more comfortable in there."  
"Wow," Chris exclaimed surprised. Julian's room looked... well, like a casual room. There was a large bed in the middle, a wardrobe, a desk with lots of books on it, flowers, family pictures... There was a small but not often used oven and there was popcorn on the table, lot's of popcorn.  
Chris put Wyatt to the ground and started to walk around amazed, while Julian stood in the door. He had never expected such a casual room down in the underworld, in the liar of the source of all evil.  
"Surprised?" Julian asked smiling.  
"Yeah man," Chris answered nodding. "W... why... why don't you live up there? Why do you share a cave with Belthazor? I mean..."  
"I know what you mean... And... This isn't the liar of the source... is my liar! Let's say he's using the guestroom from time to time," the demonic witch answered laughing. He sat down on his bed and sighed. "Look I... I don't feel like home up there anymore... And Belthazor... he saved me and he took care of me after..."  
"Zankou?" Chris asked and sat down by his side.  
"Yeah... That bastard had imprisoned five witches including me. He wanted to created some slaves with both demonic and witch powers... I was the only one that survived."  
"I'm sorry," Chris said. "I wish I could have saved you, before..."  
"No Chris... Look... When Belthazor freed me I thought I had no place to go, I had no idea what to do. And that's when he asked me to help him with the computers. He wanted to save you. First I didn't know why, but I thought I would owe him that..."  
Chris just nodded. What else should he do. He was surprised that Julian told him all that. And he didn't want to make him stop.  
"But after a while," the man went on, "I began to understand, that he had changed, that he was like me, stuck between good and evil. We're neither black nor white... we're grey and we try to do what's right..."  
"Shall that mean you would also kill a witch, if it seems right?" Chris couldn't help asking.  
"If a witch would kill demons without reason..." Julian replied seriously. And when he saw Chris's puzzled look he added: "Because there are really some demons down here who just want to live in peace..."  
Chris nodded. "I'm sorry," he said. But Julian just smiled.  
For a while none of them said a word. Chris was still wondering about that weird relation between the demonic witch and the source, but it felt more right now.  
Julian meanwhile thought about his friend. He was really worried about what was going on. If they would just know their enemy...  
Suddenly Chris looked around. Then he asked: "Where is Wyatt?"

Belthazor was reading in a book when he felt someone was watching him. Grumbling he rose his head to find the little boy standing in front of him. He had his thumb in his mouth and looked at him with wide opened eyes.  
The demon shook his head and turned back to the book, but he felt that the boy was still watching him. He sighed as he looked up again: "What do you want?"  
Wyatt just stood there, looking at him, but said nothing. Belthazor shook his head. Then he stood up, took the book and went into another room, his room. There he sat down on his huge bed. But when he was about to start reading again, he noticed that Wyatt had followed him.  
"Boy... What do you want?" he asked again with a sigh. Still Wyatt kept silent. "Ok," Belthazor grumbled, "if you don't want anything, then go back to your brother and don't disturb me."  
"Why do you care about us?" Wyatt asked then.  
Now the source looked at him wonderingly: "Who said that?"  
"Chris... and he never lies."  
Belthazor smiled evilly: "So I guess you better go to your brother and tell him how wrong he is... I just care about myself."  
"I don't believe that... Now I'm sure you care... and I'm sure you are not evil," Wyatt stated dryly.  
That caught the source by surprise. Shocked he looked at the boy and asked: "What? Why not?"  
Wyatt smiled, first shyly then more self-confident. He walked over to the demon and sat down beside him: "Because my brother said you're helping us. And you're a friend of my uncle... you know, he's the best uncle in the world, and he has no friends who are evil."  
Belthazor looked still shocked at the small boy. Then he smiled and hugged him softly with his huge strong arms: "You're a very clever young man..."  
At that moment Chris and Julian entered. But when they saw the two persons on the bed they stopped surprised. The worry and fear on their faces disappeared immediately and was replaced by amusement.  
"See..." Julian said to Chris, "I know he would become fond of him."

As soon as they were all gone, Piper rushed to the door while Paige, Kyle and Cole stayed back, staring at her anxiously. However, she did not have time to reach the entrance, when the door slammed on the wall, opened violently and getting the lock broken as a result.  
"SHOOT! Be careful for God's Sake! You needn't have broken it!" Piper exclaimed, between terrified and angry.  
Cole and Kyle stepped forward seeing how the two men that had just come in were pointing at them with a gun, but they stopped when they saw the crowd behind them: Now the street was full of people. Not only journalists, cameramen and reporters, but also bystanders and curious neighbours... And a bunch of policemen and FBI agents holding the masses away.  
"Oh, my God..." Paige muttered, taking her hand to her mouth, shocked to death, and scared of the way things were turning.  
"MOVE!" one of the men said, ignoring Piper's complaints and the presence of Kyle, and pushing the woman rudely inside the house while the other looked around and then smashed the door closed, to hide them from the people outside.  
"Don't touch me!" Piper cried angrily, almost tripping.  
Cole frowned, and took the woman by her arm. "Calm down..." he whispered. Then he looked at the agents, furrowing his eyebrows in anger, as they showed their badges to them, and pushed them into the lounge.  
"We have to talk very seriously," one of them said, the same one that had been in Darryl's office first. Then he looked at Kyle: "It's very interesting to see an officer of the San Francisco Police Department, who was supposed to be in charge of this case, in the house of the suspect."  
Kyle was going to answer in anger, but a look of Cole made him shut up. Paige looked at him and her sister, who looked at Cole, but he stared at the intruders, and then made a signal to the women so that they sat down. So they did: Piper grumbling and Paige looking at the men in terror, while Kyle stayed by her side, silent.  
Cole, however, was as cold as ice. 'As he used to be when he was evil,' Paige thought with a shiver. He stepped forward to the agents, elegantly and very professionally and talked steadily. "Do you have any order of inspection?" he asked.  
One of the agents smirked at him: "And you are...?"  
Cole looked fiercely into his eyes: "Cole Turner, lawyer. And I recommend you to show me your order now, or leave."  
The other agent raised his eyebrow and then smiled, taking a paper out of his jacket and showing it to Cole, mockingly: "Here's your order, Mr. Turner."  
Cole looked at it without any expression in his face. Actually he knew he'd see one, but he was trying to gain time. Time to make up a plan, maybe, or to find some ideas...? He turned his eyes from the paper to the agents with a despiteful look, as Paige, Kyle and Piper observed him attentively. The young officer was confused by his attitude. This would not lead to much; they would have to bring Chris at some point, or answer many questions, instead.  
"And now you have seen your order, let's make this easy. We want that Christopher Halliwell. Where's he hiding?"  
"We don't kn..." Piper started, but Cole interrupted her.  
"Not so fast, Agent..."  
"Anderson," the one that seemed to be in charge replied.  
"Not so fast, Agent Anderson. First, these women are not your aim, you do not have the right to break in their house and treat them in the disrespectful way you did. This is going to bring you much trouble in the Courts."  
"I am sorry, Mr. Turner, but your knowledge must be from another age. We have an order which allows us to inspect and look into this house, with all the consequences..."  
Cole smirked. "The law allows you to do that in the house of the person you want to find, Mr. Anderson. As far as I have read in your paper. Not here," he said, threateningly.  
Piper frowned. What was he talking about?? Of course Chris lived there, somehow. Was he going to tell them that he lived in the magic school and that that was the place to look in??  
The agents smiled, but appeared to be very confused. "Well, this is the house of Christopher Halliwell. I don't understand what you're talking about."  
Cole stepped forward again still smirking and looked around: "Are you sure? Who told you that a Christopher lives here? Because, as far as I know, the papers don't have any Christopher in this house. This house belongs to three sisters: Piper, Paige and Phoebe, and you can check that in the database of the census. No Christopher. And therefore, you don't have the right to break in here and do what you're doing... Unless you mean Piper Halliwell's youngest son - who's about four month old, I may add. But I doubt he's who you are looking for. "  
The agents turned red in anger: "Mr. Turner, don't play with us. We know that this Christopher lives here, and there are thousands of witnesses out there. This is a life or death case, that man is a public danger. And if you, as a man of law, do not cooperate, you are as guilty as him, and you're endangering many innocents."  
Cole had to gather a lot of strength not to explode in anger at those words. 'You don't know how many innocents he has saved, man,' he thought. 'You have no idea.'  
"I am not playing, and I encourage you to leave this house if you don't want to be in trouble with your superiors. I repeat: There's no Christopher living here - except the baby. Go and check it, and then, if you find any evidence, come back. But if you don't find anything - and I assure you, you won't - you'll have to be very grateful if the owners of this house do not sue you for what you are doing right now," he said very slowly, and clenching his teeth menacingly.  
Paige swallowed without taking the look from any of them and Piper was praying inside that they left, as Kyle tried to think quickly about which was the following step to take. Finally, the two agents lowered their guns, frustrated, but keeping their defiant looks on Cole.  
"Agent Smith, look for the fugitive in the house."  
"But..."  
"Do it. And if we find him here, or any evidence that he has been here, you're gonna want that the earth swallow you," he added referring to Cole, who kept his cold look.  
The other agent finally nodded and headed to the stairs, under the worried look of the two sisters. What if they found any of Chris's belongings there?

* * *

_(Chapter 6 written by Chrissy.W.xand Belén)_


	7. Chapter 7

**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
Chapter 7**

"If we find him here, or any evidence that he has been here, you're gonna want that the earth swallow you," Agent Anderson had said to Cole before his colleague went to search through the house.  
"You won't, and you'll regret what you're doing when you have to give back your badge and gun," Cole said, self-assured. Agent Anderson smirked.  
"Can... Can I go to...to take a glass of water?" Paige asked, looking at the intruder pleadingly. Cole, Kyle and he turned to the Charmed One, surprised, but she seemed to be so scared...  
"I'll go with you," Anderson said. "And you three, don't dare to move. I'll be watching."  
Paige stood up trembling, but cast glance at Piper and Cole, and a warning look at Kyle - who was about to follow them - very frustrated, as she left the lounge, followed by the agent, who kept looking back at them. Once they were alone, but aware that he was watching the others from the kitchen, Piper looked at Cole, and he just nodded.  
Kyle asked confused: "What is going on? What do you plan to do?? This has no sense, this..."  
But Cole stopped him with a gesture of his hand seeing how Piper closed her eyes; the ex-demon walked casually, until he was hiding Piper from the sight of the agent.

& & & & &

Meanwhile in the kitchen the agent frowned, when Cole blocked his view. But he could still see the woman's legs.  
"We are very bad hosts, Agent... Would you like to take something??" Paige asked in the kitchen, but he just shook his head as he uttered a dry "No". He could not see Piper's face, but he could see Cole and Kyle, and the rest of her body, somehow. She was not doing anything... Was she??

& & & & &

Actually Piper was doing something, and only Cole and Kyle could hear her.  
_"Halliwell powers, come to me  
Hide the evidence, hear my plea:  
What does not belong here, just conceal  
From the unwanted eyes; set Chris free."_  
"Good job for just a minute," Cole joked in a whisper.  
Piper raised her eyebrows: "Good job for an old-fashioned lawyer, too."  
Cole smirked slightly, with sarcasm, but at that moment, Paige and the agent came back.  
"Something you wanna share with us, Mr. Turner?" he asked, having heard him muttering, but without catching any word.  
"Yes, of course," Cole said with a grin that annoyed the agent even more. "I was saying that this was an awesome day for all those people standing outside. I am just sad that we cannot bring Elvis for them... I am afraid he is dead, he never went back home, as they believe."  
Agent Anderson was going to reply as Kyle held back his laughter, but at that moment Agent Smith came down with a strange look in his face.  
"So, well??"  
"Nothing. There's nothing..." he said, very pale. Anderson frowned and looked at the others, furious, but he tried to keep calm.  
Cole smiled triumphantly: "So I guess we'll see you in the Courts..."  
"We'll see each other much sooner than that, Mr. Turner. As well as you." he added, referring to Kyle. After those words, he turned around and headed to the broken door, angry as he had never been before. The other agent followed him a bit ashamed. They closed the door behind them, and went through the mob outside.  
Piper rushed to lock the door with the second lock, which they had left open before and was therefore not broken. Then she turned to Cole, Paige and Kyle, who was holding her trembling hand now. "I am afraid that was personal gain. I wonder which the consequences will be..." she said.  
Paige shrugged: "We did not have another chance, Piper."  
"And we can say this was not personal gain. We are saving magic, so the Cleaners should be happy with this."  
"Yeah..." Piper answered, not very convinced of it. Then she sighed and looked around at the mess again, which those agents had left. She still heard the noise from out there, the crowed was still there observing them, all the reporters, their neighbours... and surly still some agents... Then she turned back to the others: "Alright, let's check the book for that Veenosh..."  
She took a deep breath and climbed up the stairs followed by the others.  
Paige was still shivering a little, but Kyle supported her lovingly. "You shouldn't have stayed here..." she muttered to him, knowing how bad the things would be for him now.  
But he just smiled: "I don't care what they say... I love you, so this is my place."  
Meanwhile Piper turned to Cole: "I thought you named yourself Halliwell... Mr. Turner."  
Cole sighed: "I introduced myself as Turner, so that they don't know about our personal connection... but please, don't tell Phoebe..." Piper nodded with a sad smile and went on.  
But when they entered the attic they all stopped frozen in shock.  
"Where are the potions?" Cole asked.  
And Paige added: "Where are the pendulum and the maps?"  
But the most shocking question came from Piper: "Where is the book??"

& & & & &

When Odin, Leo and Michael reached the school, the latter one quickly left the others searching for his wife. So the two Elders where left alone.  
"Can you now tell me what this is all about?" Leo hissed kind of annoyed.  
Odin sighed: "We're not sure... Why was Julian there?"  
"What?? What has he to do with this?"  
"Look Leo, that demon Veenosh, he tried once to manipulate the source, he tried to force him to kill himself..."  
"And?" Leo asked still not understanding.  
"What if that's what he tries this time, too... What if it isn't Chris he's attacking..."  
"But you... oh..." Suddenly Leo understood. The discussion they once had, Odin, Silas, Chris and him. The discussion about Belthazor and how he was able to come back. The discussion about the balance of the forces, which still no one knew if it was a myth or real. "You mean..." he said then, "but that's not possible..."  
"Why not?" Odin asked.  
"Because that would mean that there is a strong connection between them, and that is simply not possible... Especially if Belthazor came back because someone wanted a counter balance to Chris... How could he be that, when they are connected with their minds?"  
Odin nodded. His friend had a point in that. "But still it's weird, because I think that Belthazor knows about all that, or in the worst case experienced the same... otherwise Julian wouldn't be there..."  
Now it was Leo who nodded... But still he couldn't believe it. "That demon could still attack both of them, don't you think?" his friend sighed but nodded.  
"Ok, what are we gonna do now?"  
Odin rose his eyebrows: "I don't know... But that's only secondary... First we have to find a way to stop the Cleaners..."  
"You're wrong," Leo replied. "When we want to stop the Cleaners we need to find that demon... So, we have to do something about that... now..."  
Odin nodded: "Let's check the books in the library. Elenia should be already there informing the others."

& & & & &

Michael was on his way to the library, when he heard some voices from somewhere in front. As he went closer to one of the common rooms he saw a group of about thirty people. And Angela was also there.  
When he called her name, she turned around. She ran over to him and hugged him tightly and he kissed her in response.  
"I'm so relived that you're alive," she said, "but where have you been?"  
"You wouldn't believe it," he replied and kissed her again. Actually kissing her felt damn good that moment, it made him feel alive, it made him return to his easiness.  
But when he heard some amused mumblings he turned back to the group of students of mostly younger ages. Smiling embarrassed he turned to his wife again: "What are you doing here?"  
Angela shrugged: "We're organising a protest."  
"A protest..." repeated her husband rising his eyebrows. At that moment some of the students rose their banners. Michael smiled when he read the words on them.  
_"we only accept Chris Halliwell as headmaster of magic school"  
"Cleaners go and erase yourself"  
"take Chris and we will show you what exposing magic means"  
"free Mr. Halliwell"_  
It was really unbelievable. Michael had been lots of times at the school, and he knew how much the students loved Chris as their headmaster and teacher. They all adored him... But this... He turned to his wife again. "That's amazing," he said.  
Angela nodded: "And it was all their idea... Now we only need a way to make them see that..."  
Michael nodded: "Well maybe Leo could do something..."  
"What shall I do?" the Elder said, entering the room together with Odin after he had heard his name.

& & & & &

"You'd better take care of your brother, Chris. He could get hurt," Belthazor grumbled as soon as he saw Chris and Julian looking at him, almost drooling. Then, he stood up and started to move around with no specific direction or aim.  
Wyatt smiled widely and orbed straight to Chris's arms, who was looking at the red demon, thoughtfully. "Chris, I was talking with him. You are right, I think he's good," the little child explained, trying to appear as an adult. Chris smiled at him again, but didn't take his eyes from Belthazor, who had turned to talk to Julian.  
"I don't know what you two are doing here, and how Wyatt escaped from you. This is dangerous and you know that. If he wants to stay, he has to be stuck to his brother. Period," he said, angrily, or at least, feigning anger.  
Chris chuckled slightly, so that Wyatt didn't notice, and tried to speak gravely to him: "You've heard very well, buddy. You and I are only one down here. He's our friend, yes, and that's why we have to do as he says." Wyatt nodded, sucking his thumb.  
Julian smiled and shook his head: "Come on, he's just a child. And you liked that, you cannot deny it."  
Belthazor grumbled again, turning his back at them: "Whatever, it's the Underworld we are talking about. This is not a place for a child. Damn, this is not a place for a Halliwell! Let alone a Halliwell child."  
Wyatt trembled slightly in Chris's arms. "I am sorry..." he muttered, at the verge of tears.  
Chris caressed his head and smiled, trying to appear calm and confident: "It's ok..."  
"But he's angry at me..." the blonde child sobbed.  
Julian lowered his head, somehow regretting his friend's outburst, but no more than he himself did. Belthazor sighed: "No I am not angry... Come on, Wyatt. I am not angry. I am just..." He stopped, but everyone was looking at him now, and he could not go back. He sighed again: "I am just worried, ok?"  
Julian smiled slightly, and Chris nodded grateful: "Don't worry, you're right. We won't give you more problems, I promise. And you, Wyatt, you will stay with me all the time, ok?" The child nodded, with tears on his cheeks.  
"Ok..." Belthazor grumbled again, feeling bad.  
"Well, let's go to my room then. I guess what Wyatt really needs is a good sleep." Chris nodded and followed Julian after showing the red demon a grateful look.  
When he turned to leave, and was about to cross the door entrance that led to the room, the Belthazor smiled widely at Wyatt and winked, which made the child smile, but the demon hushed him immediately with a gesture. He did not want to appear weaker than he seemed to be already, worrying about a little brat like him and a person like Chris.

& & & & &

A few moments later, Julian went into another room of his lair. He had brought Chris and Wyatt back to his room, and when both Halliwells had lied down on his bed, the little boy had immediately fallen asleep.  
Julian had excused himself, he had to work. He had do fix their little technical problem.  
Belthazor had followed his friend when he saw him going to their "workroom". When Julian switched on the lights the source of all evil sighed deeply. The room was a complete mess. Most monitors were broken, keybords where lying on the floor, some computer towers were open and the cables torn out... it was a mess.  
"I'm sorry," Belthazor said. What if he had hit Julian while his outburst...? He didn't want to think about that...  
Julian just nodded. Then he turned around to his friend: "Go back and look up your books. We need more information." Belthazor nodded and left his friend alone.  
The demonic witch sighed. Then he went to a computer who seemed less destroyed, compared to the others, and started fixing it.

& & & & &

"Ok," Kyle said hesitating, "I guess that's not good."  
"Actually, that's really, really bad," Cole replied dryly, while the sisters looked around shocked.  
"LEO!" Piper yelled suddenly, making the others startle. But first nothing happened. "L-E-O!!" the oldest charmed one yelled even louder.  
Moments later the attic was filled with bluish orbing lights, and Kyle couldn't help asking himself if the people out there on the street could have noticed that light.  
"Where have you been?" Piper asked.  
Leo smiled. "Actually I was at the school... The students and Angela are organising a kind of protest, a strike. It's amazing how much they all care about Chris. And... who knows, maybe..."  
"Leo!" Piper interrupted him. Even if that sounded kind of cute to her, too, she had other things to worry about.  
"What?" Leo asked noticing that something was wrong.  
"The book is gone," Cole replied.  
"WHAT!" He stared at them in shock and then looked around the attic for the first time. "What happened?"  
Piper sighed, but Cole was the one who explained. "The FBI wanted to search through the house... for Chris... I couldn't stop them, I could only distract them for a moment. So Piper cast a spell to hide everything that could prove that he lives here..."  
"And I guess that kind of backfired," Paige added sadly.  
Leo frowned. Then he said: "Alright. First: I think it was your luck that the things disappeared, because I really don't want to think about how the agents would have reacted on the book and the potions and stuff..."  
"Yeah, but how do we get the things back? We need to help Chris for God's sake," Kyle said with much more passion in his voice than anyone would have expected. Paige turned to him and took his hand, squeezing it slightly.  
"Well," Leo started, "if that's really an effect of personal gain, then we can't do much."  
"But we have to do something!" Piper was close to crying hysterically. She felt so helpless, she was so afraid of losing her son.  
"And what if it's not a backfiring effect?" Cole asked having suddenly a weird idea.  
"What do you mean?" Paige asked.  
"Well... I can't remember the spell to every word, but what if the things are just kind of invisible, so that the agents wouldn't see them... Because in a way those things would let the suspicion grow like any other object from Chris."  
Piper rose an eyebrow while Paige shrugged: "Could be possible..."  
"So what are we going to do now?" Kyle asked confused.  
Leo sighed: "We need a reverse spell."

& & & & &

Half an hour later, Belthazor heard Julian calling for him. Within a moment he walked into the workroom, to find out that one of the computers was already working again. "Julian, you are a genius," he said smiling, patting his friends shoulder.  
But the demonic witch ignored that comment. "We have a problem," he announced.  
"What is it?" Belthazor asked suddenly tensed.  
Julian hit a few buttons and a record from one of their spy cameras started to play.  
_"What are we going to do about that Halliwell?" a Cleaner asked. Actually there was a group of three of them on the screen.  
"I don't think we should... I mean, he's..." the second one remarked.  
"We have to do our job. He was the one who exposed magic, now he has to live with the consequences."  
"After those 24 hours he will come, he has to!" the last one said. _  
"How did you manage to get a camera in the Cleaner's plane?" the source asked amazed. But Julian gestured him to listen.  
_"But what do we do, when he will not come... after all he IS a Halliwell," the first one said.  
Then the third Cleaner spoke again: "Well... then we'll take his wife and daughter, to make him come... we should take them, too, anyway, since the wife was with him and we can't leave the daughter without parents... she's too powerful to give her in somebody else's care."  
_Belthazor's mouth fell open. They couldn't do that, could they. "She's just a baby!" he exclaimed all of a sudden. He had hated the Cleaners all his life and now he did it even more. Furious he started pacing around. "Where are they?" he asked then.  
Julian looked at the screen again switching around between some windows. "At the school," he said then.  
Belthazor stopped and sighed: "That's not safe enough."

& & & & &

When Chris woke up and noticed the unfamiliar surroundings, he was confused at first. But then he remembered and swallowed, leaning his head back into the pillow. "God, what have I done?" he whispered to himself. How could he have been so stupid. How could he expose magic... He still couldn't believe that all this really happened. "I'm so screwed," he said with a sigh.  
Then he felt the connection to his brother, stronger than ever before. He turned around to him. The boy was still sleeping, dreaming about his teddy. Chris was wondering why he could nearly read the boys mind, when usually he only got his feelings. But then he thought it was maybe because he was so near to him, and the boy couldn't control this things while he was sleeping. Chris smiled at Wyatt and put a hair-curl out of his face. Then he remembered that no one should be able to use his powers in this place. So why did their connection work? Was something wrong with this again? He slowly got up and left the room, he had to ask Julian about this.  
Chris went straight back to the entrance hall, but Julian wasn't there. The door to the room of the source was still open. When he spotted Belthazor sitting on his bed he went closer.  
"Hey," he said, still a little sleepy, "anything new?"  
"No."  
Chris sighed: "Where is Julian?"  
"Busy."  
The Elder-witch nodded. So his questions would have to wait for a while. He didn't want to worry the source... and the next second he smiled inwardly about that thought. Then he sighed before asking: "Can I also have a book? I would like to help..." Belthazor just grumbled, which let Chris get a little annoyed. "Look, I just can't sit around and wait for being erased, so please LET ME HELP!"  
Belthazor looked up, but said nothing. Then he took a book and threw it over at the Elder-witch.  
"Thanks" Chris muttered and went back to the main room to find a place to sit down.  
But suddenly the door was opened again. Belthazor had heard that, too, and appeared in the room the same second the door closed again. But there had been no one entering. The door was just opened and closed again.  
Chris tensed. Something was wrong about that. Who had opened that door which should be magical protected. 'Even if Cole had entered too,' Chris had to admit in his thoughts. Worried he turned to the source, who just smiled.  
Then the red demon said: "Welcome back Julian."  
Chris turned back to the door again and then the truth hit him. And he felt embarrassed that he had forgotten... that he had forgotten, that Julian could turn invisible. How could he have forgotten this.  
In the same second the source had said those words, the newcomers turned visible. Julian stood there in front of them smiling sadly. He hold Hope in one arm and Bianca, who looked completely worn out, in the other.  
As soon as he saw them, Chris run over and pulled his wife in a close hug. She immediately began to cry again. He didn't understand why they were down there, he just hold her close and whispered comforting words to her ear, trying to calm her down. But it seemed useless. It tore him apart to see her like that. This wasn't the Bianca who always fought for what she wanted. This Bianca was desperate and tired. And Chris wondered what had being going on up there on the surface...  
When Julian saw the questioning looks on his friend's faces he shrugged: "I found her that way... she was crying in your bedroom."  
"But why...?" Chris asked not understanding why he brought them away from the school.  
Meanwhile Belthazor went over to Julian and the little girl. Turning around he smiled sadly at Chris: "Later... first calm her down." Then he smiled down at Hope. 'Thanks to the greater evil, she is sleeping,' he thought. He couldn't bear a crying baby, a crying woman was more than enough... Then he looked at his Julian: "Better take her to his uncle, that boy will be able to protect her if it's necessary... Then we have to talk. I guess, I've found something."

& & & & &

After what seemed to be an eternity, Paige put down the pen again and sighed, taking the paper from the table over which she had been inclined and waving it in the air, claiming thus the attention of the others. "I think this will work..." she said, and then added in a murmur, "at least I hope so..."  
Piper rushed to her and took the paper harshly from her hands: "Ok, let's see..."  
"Shouldn't she read it...? I mean, she wrote it, so..." Kyle intervened, looking at the girls, and then at Leo and Cole, worried. He did not understand much about magic and that stuff, but he had never liked when people rushed to do things. He thought they all should read it first...  
"Nonsense... I am..."  
Leo took the paper from his wife's hands, softly, gaining a crossed look from her. "Kyle is right... Piper, it's better if Paige reads it..."  
Cole nodded, supporting his brother-in-law, and Paige shrugged innocently before recovering the paper. "Ok..." she sighed, glancing at Kyle before starting. "Cross your fingers!"  
"Wait," Cole gripped her arm, stopping her again, and making her raise her eyes to him.  
"Now what?" Piper asked, impatiently. They really needed their things back when they wanted to help Chris, so there was no time to lose.  
Cole shook his head: "I am not sure if we need the book now... I trust that this will work, but for now, I have the feeling that we should keep the house as it is now."  
Although Leo, Piper and Paige stared at him shocked, Kyle nodded peremptorily: "I completely agree. The FBI is gonna be back, and also the journalists, and the police. They will end up finding out who you are..."  
"What you are," Cole finished his stream of thoughts. "... we are," he corrected himself then in a whisper.  
After this, Leo folded his arms in front of his chest, pensive, and Paige bit her lips. They were right... "But we may need it to save Chris..." Piper insisted, feeling more and more helpless.  
Leo hugged her tightly and comfortingly: "Trust me, Piper... we're gonna save him one way or another... But I am afraid they are right..."  
She felt a thrill at his words, but tried to hide it, pressing her body against his. "I trust you... I just don't know how we are supposed to stop all this craziness."  
Leo hold her close but softly and made comfortable circles at her back, in silence, especially because he had no good answer. Cole lowered his eyes, as Paige exchanged looks with Kyle. It was one of the worst and hardest moments in their lives.

& & & & &

When Leo was gone, Odin turned back to Michael and Angela: "I know all you want to do is help, but I don't think there is any use of doing something like that..."  
"Well... still it's better then doing nothing... and THIS is all those kids can do... The older ones are helping with the research and stuff already, but those kids here can do nothing else than protest and..." Angela explained with boiling emotions. Michael just looked at her amazed. He had never knew that she was such a verbal fighter. But her way of talking now was really impressing.  
But nevertheless Odin interrupted her: "I don't say that it was a bad idea, but I say that the Cleaners will not listen..."  
"But..." Angela was about to reply again, when Odin stopped her with a move of his hand.  
"I'm sorry, the Elders are calling," he said.  
Angela looked at him for a moment with wide opened eyes, Michael knew that look very well... his wife was having an idea, and he wasn't sure if he would like that.  
The next moment, the woman turned to the kids and screamed: "Take each other's hands!"  
Just in that moment as hands grasped each other, and Angela felt the hand of one of the kids in hers, Odin began to orb, completely oblivious of her plan.  
Michael sighed and grasped a student by his shoulders just in the moment Angela took hold of the robe of the Elder. The next second they all orbed up there to the land of the Elders.

* * *

_(Chapter 7 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_


	8. Chapter 8

**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
Chapter 8**

Phoebe sighed as she walked down one of the smaller hallways of the school. She wanted to be alone, to clear her mind from all the emotions she had got while they had argued with those students.  
She just needed a little break.  
She knew she should be with the others, should look through book after book, but she couldn't... She knew she should scry, should write spells, brew potions or whatever... but she couldn't.  
She just needed a little break.  
She felt guilty, because she got the feeling that she would leave Chris alone with this huge problem. She felt guilty because she had left her family... but there was nothing she could do about that... she just couldn't bear this any longer. All those emotions... the pain, the worry, the fear, the desperation... it was just too much...  
She just needed a little break.  
With another sigh she sat down on the floor, leaning her head at the wall in her back. "Oh Chris..." she whispered as a single tear left her eye.  
At that moment bluish orbing lights appeared in front of her, only a few feet away. She closed her eyes, she didn't want to face her family or any other Elder or whitelighter now. But then she heard a soft giggle which made her open her eyes again.  
There at her feet was little Christopher lying on his stomach and smiling at her happily.  
Phoebe sighed again and then picked him up. "At least one family member who's smiling," she said more to herself.  
But the little boy's smile faded the same moment and his eyes seemed to look worried. Phoebe was concerned for a moment, because they were still not sure how far his powers were already grown. Maybe he knew already more about all that magical stuff than they would ever dream off... at least he was half-Elder...  
But then her worries were washed away as Christopher rose his small hands to her ear to play with her long earring, giggling again.  
"Ok, little boy," Phoebe said with a slight smile as she rose, "I guess I should go back to the others... Maybe I could help a little with the research, what do you think?"  
And as she asked him that, there was again that kind of look in his eyes, as if he had understood what she was talking about. But then he just smiled again and giggled like all babies do...  
"I see, you agree," his aunt said smiling at the cute boy and started to walk back with him to the library. And on her way she said: "But you will better get back to the kindergarten. I'm sure Miss Leenett is already freaking out because you're missing." And again Christopher giggled.

& & & & &

Nicki sat on a sofa in the corner of the library submerged into a book. Everyone could tell that she was anything else than happy when Elenia orbed down to them short after Phoebe had left. It wasn't that she didn't like her, of course not... No, it was only the fact that she had hoped to have Steve for herself at least one day... But that seemed so not possible... even if Elenia only came down to help...  
"Where is Phoebe?" Elenia had asked.  
"Out... I guess she needs a break," her son had answered with a sad smile.  
Elenia had nodded and then she had looked at the others, her, Veronica, Tom and the remaining students who also wanted to help... Actually there were quite a lot of them... about fifteen, Nicki counted.  
So Elenia had filled them in with those small information they had about Veenosh and after that they all started to search through the books of the library...  
Yeah it was good that Elenia had informed them, so that they now could at least do something useful, but still... she didn't want her to be there, sitting next to Steve at the table... and she hated herself for those feelings... That was so childish, but she couldn't help it.  
When Steve looked up from his book and their eyes met, Nicki quickly glanced down again avoiding his look.  
Of course Steve had noticed the way she had looked at him. He sighed, and a slight smile rushed over his face. 'She's so cute,' he thought.  
He walked over to her to sit down on the sofa and pulled his arms around her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" he whispered.  
"Yeah," she replied in a soft tone.  
Steve sighed: "You're lying... And you know that I know..." Nicki rolled her eyes. He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Do you know what... I really wish I could orb... or at least shimmer..."  
Nicki turned around to him surprised, not sure what to think of this. But he just smiled, probably noticing her confusion. "Why?" she asked therefore.  
Steve pulled her closer again and whispered lovingly to her ear: "Because then I would orb us home... just for a little while... only you and me..."  
Nicki smiled. He was so sweet and she loved him so much. She was about to answer something, but suddenly all happened at the same time, destroying their moment of peace. Phoebe came back after she had brought Christopher back to the kindergarten, and was now ready to help.  
But before she could say anything, one of the students rose. It was Drew, a young witch about 15 years. Still looking at the book in his hands, he exclaimed: "I guess, I've found something!"

& & & & &

"ODIN!! What the hell is this!!" That was the first thing the Elder heard as soon as he rematerialised. It was Jeremiah's voice, he thought, but he was too confused to understand why he was shouting at him that way. Why he had used that... word! 'Hell'?  
Odin did not need too much time to realise what was going on. All the Elders were looking at him with their eyes widely open and some of them red in fury, and then he knew why... He had all the magic school at his back! And a couple of humans, to complete his exploit.  
"Odin, are you crazy?" was Silas's voice, who had approached him slowly.  
"Hmmm..." The Elder did not know what to say. He turned to look at Angela and Michael who, after having appeared there, had lost all their initiative and courage.  
"Odin, for God's sake, I am talking to you! Are you in your mind?? Or is this the day of exposing everything which is secret to the world?? Is Chris conspiring against the world and has you as allies??"  
"Jeremiah, please, think before speaking this way!" Silas exclaimed finally, making him stop yelling at the new comers.  
The angry Elder sighed, and stared at Odin, as well as all the others did, waiting for a good answer. Angela and Michael looked at him too, expecting that he would fix the situation, but Odin was still shocked.  
How had that human dare to do that? He would have never thought she would even try to orb with him on her own... Let alone bring all the other students! But she was a friend of Chris... of course... As if that explained everything! He was still trying to find the best words to clarify the situation, when one of the students stepped forward.  
"We wanna help."  
"Yeah, we are fed up with staying in the back, and Miss..." the girl who was speaking now turned to Angela, "well, Angela had an idea."  
"But she's a human..." another Elder answered, staring at Michael and Angela confused.  
"And does that mean that she cannot have good ideas??" the first student - Benny from 6th grade - asked, angrily. The woman and the Elder who had spoken blushed at the same time.  
"Well, actually we don't wanna bother anyone..." Michael started, hesitantly. Odin glared at them, as if he wanted to say 'Look at the troubles you have put me in'. But he said nothing.  
Benny then went on: "She had an idea that is worth listening to, at least. I don't think this is a day to worry about exposing magic to two people who already know about it, when magic itself has already been exposed to all the others down there."  
Silas looked at the boy, raising an eyebrow in surprise about so much courage, and Odin shrugged and said: "Well... They have a point."  
Jeremiah was still frowning, but finally he had to admit they did not have anything better. Actually they were just trying to gather all the Elders to start a meeting in which they would decide what to do. They had never been so lost before! So finally he sighed and said: "Alright... Speak."  
Angela looked at Michael, expecting some support from him, and her husband paid her with a comforting smile. Then she took a deep breath and started: "Well... I guess... We can.. We can bribe the Cleaners..." Murmurs started to rise around the Elders, but she went on. It was then, or never. "Tell the Cleaners that, if they erase Chris's existence, we..."  
But this Benny took the word again: "We all are gonna expose magic as we never did before. They will have to erase all the magic beings from the earth, and that's something they don't want."  
After those words, silence wrapped up the room. The Elders were scared, surprised, shocked, and admired. Odin smiled slightly and Silas grinned. Jeremiah looked at them with an indecipherable expression, and Michael and Angela started to feel they were in the wrong place, at the wrong time.  
"So??" A shy voice coming from the group of the students said, impatient for a reaction.

& & & & &

"Shhhhh... it's ok," Chris whispered into Bianca's ear while holding her close. She was still sobbing into his chest.  
Belthazor had left with a sigh and went back to his room and books, giving the couple some space, while Julian took care of the kids. 'What a freaky situation,' Chris thought. And it was all his fault.  
The Elder-witch pulled away a little to look his wife in the eyes, while his own were welling up in tears, too. He gently stroke her cheek and smiled slightly: "Don't worry... we'll get through this, I'm sure..."  
"I wish... I had... your faith..." she sobbed, trying to calm down for him. She knew that he was more worried about her than about himself, and that felt wrong for her.  
"That has nothing to do with faith, but with knowledge," Chris answered, but his voice almost broke.  
"Don't lie to me," Bianca whispered, "you know, I know when you're lying."  
He sighed pulling her close into his arms again. "I'm so sorry for what I've done to you," he said as the tears fell from his eyes now, too. "I'm so sorry..."  
"I don't want to lose you..." his wife sobbed. "Not now..."  
Chris closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. Then he pulled away to look at her again, with determination sparkling in his eyes. "You won't," he said, his voice calm but strong now, "I promise to you, you won't lose me... I will never leave you, nor Hope... never!" And right that moment Chris knew he would keep this promise, no matter what. That was what made him strong, what made them strong. Their love...  
"I know..." she sobbed and kissed him.  
Belthazor smiled at them from behind. He had read that paragraph in his book again, and now he needed to talk to them. But seeing them like this, it made his heart ache. He had have that kind of life, too, at least in a way... when he and Cole had been one and he had have Phoebe. He sighed, hoping that someday in the future he'll would also find someone to love like this young couple did love each other.  
Then suddenly the door to Julian's room was opened, and the demonic witch appeared again. "The kids are sleeping," he announced.  
Belthazor felt like caught but then relaxed, when he realised, that the couple didn't notice that he had been watching them.  
Instead Chris turned to him with a embarrassed smiled, drying his tears. "So what did you found?" he asked then.  
"An entry about Veenosh in one of the oldest books I have," the source said, putting the book on the table, showing them the entry. "It says that he enters someone's mind and make him believe things which aren't real." He turned his face to Julian. "And it seems your simple anti-magic-shield around this cave, should be enough to block that."  
"That explains, why nothing else happened since we're trapped here," Chris said with a slightly relieved sigh.  
Belthazor nodded and went on: "There is no way mentioned to vanquish him, but a way how to find him."  
"That's good," Julian said.  
Chris agreed: "It's a start."  
Belthazor nodded, too: "The only problem is, that we could expose more magic than you already have. Because the only way to find him, is to sense for him when he's manipulating someone."  
"Ok..." Julian said, "so I guess we need to find a way to talk to the Cleaners and explain them the situation..."  
"You really think you can just talk to them?" Chris said nearly laughing about so much naivety, still remembering what had happened with Wyatt.  
But before the demonic witch could answer something Bianca rose to speak: "So let me see... you wanna go out there, let that demon track you down so that someone else can track him and then?? We still don't know how to vanquish him for God's sake!"

& & & & &

All the faces in the room were now fixed on Drew, who had appeared very excited at the beginning, but now, feeling himself the centre of attention, was starting to hesitate. Some of them wanted to know immediately what he had found, and were asking without leaving him a moment to breathe. "Well, I..." he stuttered.  
Veronica glanced at Tom, and then she turned to Drew, smiling. Standing up, she went to him and put her arm around his back: "Ok, let me see the book..." Drew nodded, and lifted the volume he had in his hands. "What do we have here...?" Veronica murmured, feeling all the silent eyes fixed on them.  
Drew pointed with his finger at an entry on one of the pages in the middle of the book. "Veenosh is mentioned here... This book deals with..." He closed it just enough to see the title of it. "...with demons that were never destroyed and vanquished..." he explained.  
Veronica leant slightly over the book, furrowing her brows, and Tom stood up to take a look personally. "Veenosh is here, next to... Zankou... Oh, someone should refresh that book," Veronica said, unaware of the slight shiver that this second name produced in Tom, who said nothing. "It explains the several attempts of killing him, and the success in confining him." continued Veronica. "But nothing about how to kill him..." She sighed, and looked at the others, who shook their heads.  
Nicki and Steve shrugged and went back to their books again, as well as all the students, and Elenia looked at Drew sad, but the boy grabbed Veronica's and Tom's hands nervously, and made them look again.  
"No, wait! Look... It says how to find him. There's a way to confine him again, and also we can..."  
Tom took a deeper look at the entry, and read the small letters too.  
_"Veenosh not only attacks his victims, producing visions and a possible chronic madness in them, but also, if his victim's brain is connected to other magical beings telepathically, or in any other way, his effects will be transmitted as a plague from one to another..."_  
Tom raised his eyes, surprised.  
"Do you think this is what happened to Chris?" Steve asked, going to him, followed by Nicki.  
Drew looked at the two young teachers, expectantly, as Tom nodded: "Not just that, Steve... This could be transmitted to any person that can read Chris's mind too..." His friend frowned.  
"But do you think Chris is connected to the source??" Nicki asked in a whisper so that just her friend could hear it, starting to doubt.  
At that moment, Veronica opened her eyes widely: "But... Oh, no... This might mean that little Wyatt could also be affected..."  
Silence grew in the room, and finally Elenia broke it, carefully: "It could affect any person capable of communicating with him, or connected to him..."  
At that moment, Tom realised the meaning of those words, and when he looked at Steve he knew his friend had, too. They both had telepathy... Even though they had never been able to use it with Chris, if someone was in danger of being infected... that were them.  
"Oh-oh..." Phoebe muttered suddenly, and when all the eyes turned to her, she smiled a little embarrassed.  
"What's 'oh-oh'?" Steve finally asked.  
"Well..." the empath hesitated a moment, "this morning... which could have been around that time when Chris... well... Wyatt's shield went up for a couple of minutes..."  
"WHAT?" Elenia, Steve, Nicki and Veronica exclaimed, while the students looked at each other scared and Tom sank down to a chair, sighing.  
"He had put it around himself and baby-Christopher for a couple of minutes. First I thought there would be an attack but nothing happened, and then his shield went down again," Phoebe explained quickly. "I thought it was nothing..."  
For a moment no one said a word, some were looking to the ground, others were shaking their heads, but no one said anything...  
Then Elenia broke the silence: "But you felt nothing?"  
Phoebe frowned, trying to recall the situation in her mind, then she shook her head.  
Now the Elder sighed: "That's good... that means the effect doesn't reach those who are not directly connected to Chris. So I guess I'll orb up there and tell the others to block Chris out, just in case..." With this she disappeared in bluish orbs.  
At the same moment Phoebe left with the words. "I'll look after baby Christopher... Maybe he's in danger of being affected, too."  
"The best would be, if you bring him here...!" Steve called after her.  
Tom moved his hand over his tired face. Now they were alone... Well, not really alone, but... The Sisters had their own problems at the moment. So now it was their turn, his, Steve's, Nicki's, Veronica's... the student's turn, to find a way to end this. "Ok..." he sighed, "how do we vanquish him?"  
No one answered. No one knew the answer. Again silence fell over the room.  
"I... I..." Drew mumbled hesitating.  
"Yeah?" Steve asked turning to him. He knew that student from one of his classes. He wasn't the best of the group he taught, but he was clever, he had 'potential'. He could astral project and was good in potion-making. But he was... well he was a teenager, and school was the last thing he seemed to care about.  
Drew swallowed. Then he looked at Veronica who nodded, supportingly.  
"I thought maybe we could... I mean, he's only a mid-level demon... we should be able to created a potion based on his blood."  
"But we don't have his blood," Nicki sighed.  
The young witch felt again all the eyes resting on him. He looked down to his hands which seemed really interesting at the moment. Then he mumbled: "Maybe I know a way around that..."

& & & & &

Julian sighed as he hit the send button. He had written an e-mail to the sisters. Now he leaned back in the chair and stared at the screen waiting for an answer. He sighed again.  
"You don't have to be worried, they will be fine," Belthazor said.  
Julian turned around surprised, to see his friend standing in the doorway in his back. "I'm not worried about them...," the demonic witch admitted then, turning back to the screen, "I mean... I am, but... I'm more worried about you."  
The source was surprised by those words. He hadn't thought that Julian cared that much about him. He knew he did care, his friend had already proven that, but he didn't know how much... this much. This small sentence touched him more then he would admit. He never in a million years he had thought that anyone - except maybe Cole - would care this much about him. "Thanks," he said finally, sitting down next to him.  
"For what?" Julian asked not understanding.  
"For caring about me..." Belthazor said with a slight smile on his red face.  
Julian grinned. "Of course I do... you're my friend..."  
The source smiled: "Thanks." Hearing those words felt damn good, he had to admit in his thoughts.  
Julian smiled back at him and said almost inaudible: "You're welcome..."

& & & & &

Meanwhile Cole read the e-mail which had arrived just a few moments ago. Checking the computer was the first thing he did when they went down to the living room again.  
"Anything new?" Piper asked. And Cole read the message to them.  
_"We know how to find Veenosh. But before we can try to do that, we need an appointment with the Cleaners... and we still need a way to vanquish him. We hope you know a way. Julian"  
_"An appointment with the Cleaners?" Leo asked. "What is he thinking who he is? How shall that work?"  
"Leo..." Piper said and put an arm on his shoulder, "they will have their reasons..."  
"And I guess Chris agreed, otherwise he wouldn't ask," Cole added, knowing that Leo - even if he didn't trust the source - trusted his son.  
The Elder sighed: "Ok... I see what I can do..." Then he turned to Paige: "You should go to the school and see if they found something there." The witch-whitelighter nodded and both orbed away.

& & & & &

Darryl was in his house, sitting on an armchair, but inclined forward, tense. The tv was on, and he had the remote in his hand. Sheila was sitting by his side, looking at in a complete silence, but from time to time glancing at their son who played in a corner of the room. Thanks god he was completely oblivious to what was going on.  
Her husband had been behaving very weirdly since he had arrived. He had cancelled all the plans the couple had, and explained her very superficially what had happened. The rest, she had had the opportunity to hear it in the news. Chris and all his family were in real trouble.  
After changing the channel for a long while, inspector Morris reclined his head on the back of the armchair and sighed deeply: "I don't know what to do..."  
Sheila looked at him: "You did what you could and more... Kyle is there, risking his job. He could get fired because of this... Darryl, it's a magic problem, it's out of your hands now."  
The man turned to her and shook his head: "I think I could have done more; not just staying here, sitting... The FBI is after him now." His wife sighed, and rolled her eyes, but he went on. "You have heard it!" He pointed at the screen: "They have started to relate him with all the paranormal cases in the town... In the country!!"  
Sheila watched their son for a moment, who was still playing, and then looked at her husband again: "He's screwed, Darryl. Tell me, what do you wanna do? What can you do for him??" She paused, noticing that her husband was staring at her unbelieving. "Darryl, honey... They are in constant danger of exposition. You did all you could for them all these years. You did even have problems for that, for God's Sake!..." She shook her head: "You knew as well as I do that this would eventually happen." She remarked every single word, speaking in a low but convinced tone.  
"How can you talk like that, Sheila?" he asked, shocked and sad.  
She swallowed, and looked aside, and kept silent for a while. Then she said, with tears in her eyes: "Because I love you. Believe me, I appreciate what they have done for all of us and I wish them only the best, but... I don't want that anything bad happens to you for doing something which is not your business. They played with fire, Darryl... They have to put it off."  
Darryl felt anger growing inside him, but he tried to calm down. He understood how she felt. He was also playing with fire, helping the Charmed Ones for so long, but he knew he had to. They were working for the safety of everyone, and they did it from the shadows. No one would ever thank them. No one would ever know. Or maybe that was actually changing... He shook those thoughts from his mind. No... People did not understand them. They would destroy their lives, if nobody did something to fix that.  
Darryl raised his eyes to her, and took her hand lovingly: "Sheila... They would die for us. I am just helping. I'm doing not even the tenth part of what they do for us. They need us... I... I am sorry."  
Sheila clenched her teeth, and tried not to cry. Darryl thought she would yell at him, and then she would just leave the room. But instead, she smiled weakly, and dried her cheeks: "Ok... Do what you have to do. But be careful, Darryl. I love you. I need you, more than they do. Help them, but don't put yourself in danger."  
He smiled again and then nodded, standing up: "I promise nothing's gonna happen." He did not really know what to do, but he had to do something...  
Maybe trying to deviate the attention from Chris, perhaps showing that those robberies had nothing to do with him... He'd come up with something. Darryl kissed her on the cheek, and left. He had to hurry and go to the office, to look at all those reports and try to find out more about those cases.

& & & & &

Drew swallowed. He didn't like to have all the attentions. He felt like in class when Miss Matthews chose him to come to the board. He hated that feeling.  
"Ok boy... you have an idea? Then tell us..." Steve said getting impatient.  
Drew swallowed again: "Well... there is a spell... in one of the books about black magic." Some of the other students began to whisper in his back. "I did a research for an homework," Drew explained, feeling like he had done something wrong - which he hadn't.  
"So what kind of spell is that?" Tom asked, scanning the boy with his eyes as if this could tell him if he was lying or not.  
"It's... it's a spell to make a miniature copy of someone," Drew said, "it's in one of the books here in the library."  
Nicki and Steve looked at each other. Black magic isn't something a witch should play with. But what other chances did the have.  
'Do you think that's a good idea?' Tom asked his friend in his mind.  
Steve turned around to look at him then thought back: 'I don't know... we should at least talk to Phoebe or...'  
At that moment bluish orbing lights appeared in the large room. Seconds later Paige materialised. "Anything new?" she asked.  
The students looked at their teachers who looked at each other. Then Tom turned to the charmed one: "We have some information about that demon, and at the moment we discuss the chances of making a blood-potion without his blood to vanquish him..."  
Paige rose her eyebrows: "Oh..."  
"Drew, can you show us the spell," Steve asked turning to the teen. The boy nodded and went over to one of the shelves.  
"What spell?" Paige asked.  
"Well..." Steve sighed. How should he say it.  
But Veronica interrupted him: "We're thinking about black magic to get his blood..."  
"WHAT?" the witch-whitelighter exclaimed. "Are you NUTS? You can't use black magic..."  
Steve listened to her carefully. He knew she was right. No one should use that kind of magic. It was too dangerous, at least for witches like them. But then his eyes grew wide as he turned to Paige, an idea forming in his mind: "And what if it's not one of us, casting that spell...??"  
"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked who just had come back with baby-Christopher on her arms. She had heard the last sentences which were spoken.  
Tom looked at his friend confused like the others, but then he understood. "Julian..." he muttered.

& & & & &

Chris sat on Julian's bed, caressing the cheek of his wife, who lied there, her head in his lap. Hope and Wyatt were lying next to them sleeping deeply.  
Bianca had closed her eyes, but she wasn't sleeping. She was just thinking... thinking about how they could fix this mess. She sighed.  
Chris looked at her when she did so. Then he bend down to her and kissed her on her cheek. "We'll find a way," he whispered, "I promise we will."  
She turned around to him, to look him in his eyes: "But what about the FBI?"  
"I don't know," he admitted. "We can only hope that the Cleaners will help, when we can prove that it wasn't my fault."  
Bianca nodded, but then she frowned again: "But what about the robberies?"  
"Wha...Wh... which robberies?" Chris asked looking at her confused. Until that moment he thought it was all about his power-outburst. He had no idea what she was talking about.  
"There were some robberies lately. The victims said it was a monster who bound them by a magical rope," Bianca explained. "And now it seems the FBI believes it had been you."  
Chris sighed and leaned back against the back of the bed. "That's not good," he muttered. His mind was spinning. Why was he always getting into so much trouble? But then he had an idea. Looking at his wife again he said determined: "So we have to find the person who did this, or at least prove that it wasn't me."  
Bianca rose to look at him. "And how?" she asked frowning.  
Chris bit his lower lip, thinking hard, then he stood up: "I'll ask Julian. He has cameras all over the underworld, at the manor, at the school... maybe he has some on the streets, too, and if it's so, than maybe he has a record of such a robbery." With this he left the room.

& & & & &

"NO."  
"Why not!?" Chris asked, feeling helpless as he watched Julian pacing in the room.  
Belthazor stood aside, with his huge red arms folded on his chest.  
"BeCAUSE!" Julian said, stopping right in front of Chris, and staring straight to his eyes.  
"Well...!" Chris exclaimed, raising his arms helplessly, "that's not a good reason!"  
Belthazor smirked. Damn, he was having fun. A lot of fun.  
"Of course it's not a good reason, young man! It's not A reason at all!" Julian answered, gesturing exaggeratedly at Chris.  
"What... Why, I just don't get it!" Chris looked at Belthazor looking for help with his eyes. Was Julian playing with him? Both of them? After all, he was not the boss down there. He did not have a word. It was clear that they wanted to make him feel like that. He was the protected one this time, and he had to obey, shut up and trust. But he was in the damned Underworld because if they did not fix all that mess, he would not have any life up there, let alone existence. So...  
"If... If you are just playing with me, well... Stop it, because this is serious!"  
Belthazor could not help laughing although his friends was more than grave. Chris turned to the red demon angrily, but kept quiet.  
"We are not playing with you, Chris. We are giving you shelter, helping you, because if we had not done it, you wouldn't exist anymore by now. Do you understand?" Julian answered, staring at him, and watching how the boy turned paler and paler.  
But the Elder-witch was too persistent: "You have cameras everywhere. You see me having lunch, dinner, when I pee and when I shit... And you see me when I..." Suddenly he turned his head to the entrance as if he was fearing that Bianca was coming. Then he cut himself off, feeling uncomfortable but ignoring as much as he could Belthazor's giggling. "Ok, man..." he said calmer. "You put all those cameras, didn't you?? So I just DON'T get why you can't put more!" Chris felt such a frustration when he had asked whether they had cameras in the streets or not... But then, when he had asked them to put some, since they were still on time, and they had answered NO, he went more than angry. And confused.  
"I told you, Chris. BeCAUSE. Listen, this is my task, and even HE..." and he pointed at Belthazor, who raised an eyebrow, "... keeps away from it. You are here because you need protection. And your brother, and your wife, and your daughter need it too. So then, go with them, enjoy your free time, and let me do my job."  
Chris opened his mouth, but after thinking just for a second, he snorted letting no word out of his mouth. Belthazor was now serious, but still silent. Actually, he knew that was Julian's job, and he had to handle with it.  
"Are you trying to show me who's in charge here?" the young Elder-witch asked mildly and sadly. "Because I understand you are. I am not trying to be in the middle of anything. I just wanna help. It's because of me that you're having this problem. I just wanna help."  
For a moment, Julian looked in his eyes and showed regret because of the way he had talked to him. Then he shook his head and sighed, trying to smile: "It's not what you think, Chris." He paused. "What would you tell me if I'd tell you how to teach your classes?" Chris looked aside and said nothing. "You see??" He put his hand on his shoulder. "I am just asking you to trust me, ok? That's all."  
This time, Chris looked deep in his eyes, feeling defeated: "I was just asking you to help me find those robbers. If I can prove that..."  
Julian hushed him, smiling: "I did not say I was not going to do that. But in my way." Then he left the room.  
Chris stared at the nothingness for a while, feeling Belthazor's eyes on him. However, he didn't notice the red demon was approaching him and put his own hand on his shoulder, making him startle.  
"You heard him. Just go to your wife, and relax. We're doing the job here. We're gonna find those demons, promise. Remember it's NOT only your problem. Actually it's probably my fault."  
Chris shrugged, and tried to avoid his eyes. "Well, but he could have just told me why he is not ready to set all those cameras... That would have helped."  
Belthazor smiled softly, and for a moment he felt so weird... He felt the same way Cole felt most of the time: Chris was just a very grown-up child, and his former other half was like a father for him. And now, he was his father, down there. The man tried to pretend that he was able to manage on his own, but some times he did really need people who supported him and made him feel safe. Actually, his last sentence... 'That would have helped...' Help what? Find those demons, if they put the cameras, or... Or that would have helped him feel better, to know why Julian did not want to do it.  
The source winked slightly and patted his shoulder. "He doesn't wanna set those cameras because your house, we can control it. The Underworld is our environment. And the magic school, there we can also control it, through you. But set the cameras out there, in the non-magic world, and we're lost. If they discover them, and they will, they will discover everything about us, about the magic world."  
Chris smiled sarcastically: "What does that matter now?"  
Belthazor stared at him. "We're gonna fix that," he said, meaning the fact that he had exposed his powers, and ignoring his sarcasm.  
"We could fix it with the cameras," Chris insisted. "I am sure they would not have to necessarily discover them. We didn't..."  
"But we'd better be cautious. Besides, you never looked for the cameras, Chris." The young witch sighed, defeated. "As Julian said, trust us. We'll find the demons. It's easier than you think, they are demons, and they live here... And we DO have cameras here." He winked again.  
It took Chris some second to process the information, but then he smiled weakly: "Okay..." He felt a bit better now. Relieved was the word. Then he frowned: "So why didn't he want to tell me?"  
Belthazor burst into laughter: "He hates revealing his tricks! And he likes leading when it has to do with what he masters. Don't tell him that I told you all this, ok?"  
Chris laughed softly again, and then nodded, biting his lip. "Thanks," he muttered, "for everything."  
Belthazor looked him in the eyes with a grave countenance: "Don't thank me yet. Go back to your family, and keep your little brat silent. I hate babies."  
Chris shook his head, smirking. "Sure..." he said, turning his back to him, in order to leave. But then he stopped: "What about the Cleaners? Will I be able to talk to them?"  
Belthazor frowned and then nodded: "Your father is on it. That's what Julian told me. Are you sure you wanna do it?"  
Chris smirked: "That's my job. No questions." Then he left the room, to see Bianca and the children.

* * *

_(Chapter 8 written by Chrissy.W.x and Belén)_


	9. Chapter 9

**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
Chapter 9**

Michael sighed and sat down on the steps to the main building of the "Elder-land". He felt a little dizzy since he came up there. Everything was so bright... he felt more like hovering around then actually standing on his own feet.  
Jeremiah and his wife were still discussing. Michael and the students had stepped a little aside, no one of them wanted to get into the middle of the two.  
"Excuse me, Mr..." one of the students said suddenly.  
"Call me Mike."  
"Ok... Mike... I think... I think this is not good, we're losing too much time!" the young girl explained her thoughts.  
He looked at her and sighed. "Suzi, right?" He had heard the others call her that. She nodded. "Well Suzi," he went on, "there is nothing else we can do. We're here to talk, and that's what my wife is doing..."  
"But Chris could already be..." She didn't end her sentence, but Michael understood it anyway. He felt the same. In this place, they had no idea what was going on in their world, they even weren't sure how much time had passed since they got up there. He sighed again and then smiled at the girl: "Don't worry... He's fine, I'm sure... They would know if he wouldn't..." The girl nodded and then turned back to her friends.  
Michael looked around. He understood now, why Chris said once, that this would be the most boring place in all the magical places which exist. Even those bottled plants couldn't help much to change that. It was boring... deadly boring...  
With another sigh he stood up and went over to Silas. He stood a little aside the others, who were still discussing.  
"Hey..." he said to him, "how is it going?"  
Silas smiled at him. He liked Michael and actually he thought it was really brave of them to come up there. "Well... you see it, they are still discussing," he said and shrugged.  
At that moment bluish orbing lights appeared and Leo materialised next to them.  
"Michael?" he asked completely shocked in surprised. Then he saw Angela and then the kids. "What... What's going on here?" This was surely not what he had expected when he had talked to them before.  
"Oh, Leo!" Jeremiah said smirking. "Maybe you can tell your son's friends and students how much trouble they cursed, by coming up here."  
"We only want to help Chris," Angela replied. "And I swear to you, those kids WILL expose magic if those Cleaners harm him in any way."  
"If the Cleaners take Chris you won't even remember him," Jeremiah replied.  
"But we need Chris, you know that," Leo added, immediately joining the woman's side. Then he rose his hands: "But first... I need to talk to the Cleaners, because actually we have some new information... We know now what's going on... And Chris and Julian, they wanna talk to them, on neutral ground, so to say. So can you help me to talk to them?"

& & & & &

Paige orbed to the manor. After Drew had given them the book with that weird spell, they had discussed things a lot. And after Elenia had returned to them, they had decided to give it a try. So now they needed to contact Julian.  
"Found something?" Piper asked full of hope.  
"Yes and no," Paige replied and then explained the others what they wanted to do. "At least we should give it a try. If Julian thinks it's save and if he can get Veenosh's blood, we could make a simple vanquishing potion," she ended her report.  
Cole frowned. He didn't like that idea. He didn't like it because it put Chris and Belthazor, and also the others who were with Julian, in danger. But he kept silent, because he hadn't any other idea, and he knew time was working against them.  
Piper sighed, then she looked at her brother in law. "What do you think about that?" she asked. The spell was weird, without any sense.  
Cole just looked at her. It still felt weird that she asked him for his opinion, after their past, and he still wasn't completely comfortable with his role as a witch of the Halliwell-Clan. He sighed: "Honestly, I don't know... but I have no better idea either..."  
"Ok, let's try it," the oldest Charmed One said finally. Cole nodded, took the book and went over to Phoebe's computer.

& & & & &

"Anything new?" Belthazor asked, when he entered the room with the computers.  
"Not yet," the demonic-witch replied while he stared at the screen where the pictures of his cameras kept changing. The source sighed and sat down next to him.  
"Is he ok?" Julian asked after a moment. He didn't mean to react the way he did... it was just... he just couldn't help it.  
"Yeah I guess he understands now," the demon replied.  
"That's good, because I didn't mean..."  
"I know," Belthazor interrupted him smiling.  
Julian nodded. Then he looked at his friend and noticed the weird look on his face. "What's bothering you?" he asked.  
"Nothing... it's just..." he smiled, "it's just that Cole was right about him. In his time Chris had to grow up so fast but still... in some points he feels like a child. And it's weird to see him like that, especially when you take into account that he's the new king Arthur."  
Julian chuckled about that comment. "Maybe that's why he was chosen for the job," he said, when a new e-mail arrived.  
They read it carefully. It contained the plan of the sisters, the spell and the description of the spell from that book. Julian swallowed.  
"You don't have to do that, if you don't want to," Belthazor said.  
"I know," Julian replied standing up and grabbing a few things from a shelf, "but that's the only way to help you... and him."  
Belthazor nodded: "But we shouldn't hurry too much, we should think through this first."  
Julian cleaned one of the tables and placed five candles on it: "I don't think we should waste too much time. My demonic powers allow me to cast a spell like this without putting myself into too much danger, and we need the blood of that demon..." He placed a feather in the middle of the table. Then he looked at Belthazor again.  
The source nodded and said: "Your decision. But doesn't your spell also prevent YOU from using magic?"  
The demonic witch shook his head grinning: "It's only blocking powers as such, not spells... Just in case we need to defend ourselves." Belthazor rose an eyebrow, then nodded.  
Julian sighed looking at the table again, and then he cast the spell.  
_"ecaps siht fo srewop krad eht gnillac  
noissesbo ym fo tcejbo eht fo ypoc a ekam  
gnieb taht fo noisrev dezis-llams a em evig  
ecart on evael snoitca ym fo"_  
A small vortex appeared between the candles, rising the feather from the table. Then Julian whispered: "Veenosh, Veenosh, Veenosh."  
With a tiny explosion the feather and the vortex disappeared. All that remained on the table were the candles and a small seemingly living object not much larger than a cockroach.  
Julian couldn't help but chuckle. "I guess that spell went very wrong," he said grinning. But when he turned around to his friend, Belthazor sat, sunk down in the chair, holding his head with a painful expression on his face.  
"Belthazor?" Julian asked. "What's wrong?" But the source just started groaning in pain.

& & & & &

At the same time Chris lied on the bed next to his wife, staring at the ceiling of the cave.  
Bianca caressed his belly softly, looking at his worried face. "He'll find a way, I'm sure," she whispered to him. She didn't want to wake up the kids who were still sleeping.  
"I know," Chris said, "but still I hate it to just lie around like this."  
"But there is nothing you can do at the moment. And I'm sure, they won't let you down."  
"I know," he replied, turning his head to his wife and caressing her cheek. "I know, but still I don't like it to be so..."  
"So depending?" Bianca asked knowing him very well.  
He sighed: "Yeah... I guess so... Stupid, huh?"  
"No... no, it's not... You've been on your own, half of your life. I can imagine that it's hart to accept your situation now. But that's what you have to do... because you can't change it."  
Chris nodded: "I know."  
They both kept silent for a while. But then Chris started messaging his temples.  
"What's wrong?" Bianca asked.  
Chris frowned: "I don't know, I..."  
He couldn't say more, because a wave of huge pain hit him. His vision got blurred and all he could do was scream. At the same time Wyatt woke up and rose his forcefield around himself and Hope, unnoticed by the others.  
"OH MY GOD!!" Bianca screamed when she saw the eyes of her husband turn darker. He had sat up still screaming. Acting on instinct, she grabbed his hands and held them strongly down, so that he wouldn't hurt anyone. "Please, honey," she whispered to his ear, while he was still screaming and swearing, "please honey stay calm... please don't leave me... you're save..."  
But then suddenly it stopped. Chris fell back onto the bed. Breathing fast and heavily, he stared at the ceiling.  
"Baby, are you ok?" Bianca sobbed, still holding his hands.  
Chris nodded slowly: "I... guess so..."  
"What the hell was that?" the Phoenix asked.  
Chris shook his head. He had no idea. But then he suddenly jumped up. "BELTHAZOR!" he yelled and ran out of the room.  
At the same moment, Wyatt put his forcefield down. He was crying, which Bianca now noticed. Thanks God Hope was still sleeping. Bianca took the little boy into her arms and hold him tightly. "Shhh... don't worry," she whispered to him, "everything will be fine."

& & & & &

At the same time in a dark cave in the depth of the underworld an ugly looking demon shook his head. He had felt weird a moment, as if his mind was split in two... but then it was gone again. He grumbled and swore. Then bend over his bowl and again tired to get hold of his prey's mind.

& & & & &

Chris ran into the working-room seeking for the others. When he entered, still breathing heavily, he saw how Belthazor climbed back onto a chair.  
"What... happened?" Chris asked.  
Julian shrugged and pointed at the table where some candles lied next to something which looked like a squished cockroach: "We just created one part of the vanquishing potion for Veenosh. Sorry for the little trouble. I had never thought that this small thing could be so powerful..." Then he added with a smirk: "Sadly the big version isn't so easy to kill..."  
"But how could that affect us? ... your spell?" Belthazor asked tiredly.  
Julian shrugged: "I don't know, I guess the black magic weakened the power of the protection spell..."  
"Maybe we should add another one, just to make sure," Chris suggested. Julian and Belthazor both nodded.

& & & & &

Darryl sat on his office chair, bent over the table which was a total mess of papers and pens, and pictures and maps... The police station was very dark. Only some men had stayed for the guard and had not been very surprised to see inspector Morris, who was used to work following an extremely weird schedule. Thus, no one would disturb him as he tried to find out something that could help his friends, though this time Chris seemed to be in real trouble.  
After a while of searching and focusing his tired eyes on the small typed letters of the reports, Darryl grumbled, hitting the table and leaning against the back of his chair. There was nothing to do. Chris had exposed his powers, how the hell was he supposed to hide that? To change that??  
The journalists kept the Halliwells imprisoned in their own house, and that if they didn't break in and start asking questions; neighbours spread the rumors very fast, as well as news on TV and the radio; and the FBI will surly spent night and day working to find Chris and probably take him away from his family and... Who knew how they would try to use him to their own benefit.  
Darryl rubbed his temples, wearily, and sighed... Then he looked again at the map on the wall, where he had made a mark on the spots where the robberies had taken place. There was nothing interesting about them. The names of the streets were not related in any way; the names of the victims had nothing to do with each other, and were different in aspect and social class... The spots must have been chosen randomly... One here, another one there...  
Darryl shook his head. They were simple robberies. Magic ones, or demonic, but it was clear that the robbers had no second intention. Unless it was exposing magic!!  
Suddenly, he stopped breathless... What if that was the reason?? What if what they intended was actually exposing it?? Could that have something to do with Chris after all?? Darryl stood up and went away from the map, narrowing his eyes slightly. There must have been something there. Again, he felt all of a sudden his breath cut off. He was stupid, oh he was. He really was.  
Of course there was a ritual in all the robberies. All of them joint by a line, had the shape of an arrow, of the sharp extreme of one. And the arrow was pointing at an old factory... Maybe the head quarters of some demon, or an entrance to the Underworld??  
Darryl took all the papers and the map and left immediately the station to go and see the sisters. He had something and he was sure he could help the sisters with this... Somehow.  
He had not noticed something else, however. The arrow could also be a big, huge V.

& & & & &

Cole leaned back and closed his eyes after he had sent out the message. He had a bad feeling about all this and that disturbed him in the worst way.  
"They'll be fine," Paige said to him, smiling. Cole felt caught but then he nodded thankful.  
Paige sighed, then she turned to Kyle who was sitting next to her on the sofa: "If you want I can take you home... I mean... without them noticing."  
The officer shook his head energetically: "They already know that I'm here... AND... I would never leave you... not in a situation like this."  
Paige closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his: "I'm sorry that we put you in this situation... I hope you don't lose your job because of us."  
"I won't," Kyle replied and kissed her nose.  
Cole shook his head. He couldn't bear so much love at the moment, through of course, he was happy for them. So he stood up and went to the hall. "I'm going to check if the FBI left any damage..." he said and climbed up the stairs.  
Kyle followed him with his eyes, but Paige forced him to look back at her. "Hey... I meant what I said," she said to him. "I don't want you to give up your life... not for me."  
Kyle smiled widely: "Paige..." He sighed. "I can't give up my life, because without you there is no life... not really."  
The witch-whitelighter couldn't believe her ears. This very moment, his eyes were beaming at her full of deep and endless love, and that felt amazing. This was real, true... He loved her so much... And if the butterflies in her stomach meant anything, then she did, too. Actually Paige was sure she had never felt like that before. She wanted to add something, wanted to let him now that she felt the same way, but that moment Piper returned from the kitchen.  
"Tea is ready," she announced and put the plate on the table.  
"Thanks," Kyle said and took a cup with the hot liquid.  
Piper nodded and sat down on the other side of the table. Then she asked: "Do you think Christopher is safe at the school? I mean, if that demon can also affect Wyatt..."  
"That's why Phoebe stays there with him and Steve," Paige explained. "Phoebe is checking him all the time and if something is going on, Steve will put up his forcefield to protect them. But actually I don't think that anything will happen... Christopher's powers are still too weak."  
"Let's hope so..." Kyle muttered and hold her even closer. Piper just nodded and sipped her tea.  
They kept silent for a long time. A few minutes later Cole returned, announcing that the FBI was very careful and didn't leave any destruction in the rooms, just some chaos since they searched through everything. Then he sat down next to Piper and stared into the nothing like the others. They all felt helpless, unable to do anything.  
Finally the doorbell rang.  
Cole sighed and stood up: "I go..."  
The others followed him with their eyes. They could hear the reporters out there as soon as the door was opened. They heard Cole yelling something not very polite and seconds later the door slammed shut. Piper sighed. They all expected him to return alone. The more surprised they were when he entered together with ...  
"Darryl?!" Paige exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"  
Kyle had jumped up: "If the FBI saw you then..."  
"They did," Darryl interrupted his friend. "But don't worry... I've found something which you need to see..."  
"Really?" Piper asked. "What is it."  
"It's about the robberies, which they want to blame Chris for, too," he said and was about to pull out some papers. But then he startled shocked when someone shimmered in behind him. "Wha... Don't do that again... ok... I hate that!" he exclaimed directed at Julian.  
Kyle chuckled which gained him a surprised look by his colleague and friend. 'Seems that boy is more used to this than I am,' he thought amazed.  
"Here," Julian said, not paying attention to the detective, and gave Piper a vial with the remainings of that mini-demon, "that's all I can get with this spell."  
"Thanks," Piper said and then, having a closer look she added, "what is that? A cockroach?"  
"Kind of," Julian answered, "this was a mini-version of Veenosh, but not less evil than the real one."  
The oldest Charmed One looked disgusted, then she went over to the kitchen and ordered her sister to follow her. So the four men were left behind.  
"How are they?" Cole asked looking at the demonic with.  
"Fine..." Julian answered shortly. He wasn't in the mood for huge explanations. Cole nodded.  
Meanwhile Darryl had sat down next to Kyle. "Are you alright?" he asked.  
His friend nodded: "Yeah... I'm fine."  
Darryl nodded, then he took out his papers: "So... this is what I found. I..."  
Again he was interrupted when bluish orbing lights filled the room.  
"Hey," Leo said, quickly checking who was there. "Where are the sisters?"  
"Potion-making. Kitchen!" answered Cole.  
Leo nodded. Then he turned to Julian. "We need Chris," he explained, "the Elders arranged that the Cleaners will be up there in two minutes so when he wants to..."  
"No," Julian said, calmly, "that's impossible. He can't leave the cave now. It's to risky. When Veenosh attacks him, he could hurt someone, even up there... You know what he's capable of."  
Leo sighed. Then he nodded. "But I won't be able to get them down and when Chris wants..."  
"I could talk to them, I'm fair-minded..." Julian offered, "the only problem is that you would have to take me up there..."

& & & & &

"I want to go home, Anca..." Wyatt whined as he pulled the pocket of the young woman's jeans.  
"Hush, Wyatt... It's gonna be soon, but now you wanna be a god kid," she said, at the same time as she tried to soothe little Hope, who was weeping softly. Besides, she was attentive to Chris. He was talking to Belthazor who didn't seem to be very receptive at the moment.  
"I just wanna know if you got any plan... We kill Veenosh, right? Or they do it. But I am still stuck here, because if I go out, the Cleaners will... well, they will 'clean me'!" the young witch said walking behind the red demon who was pacing around the whole lair.  
Belthazor grumbled annoyed. "First, why did you bring them here!?" he asked, stopping suddenly and pointing at the kids and Bianca with one hand while with the other, he rubbed his temples. "They cry, and if they cry, I can't think!"  
Chris rolled his eyes and sighed. "They're just kids and they were tired of staying in that room! Just listen." He took his huge arm, surprised himself of that action. "I need help here, ok? I hate asking for help, and let alone asking a demon; and let alone asking the source! But I am here and you want me to leave as much as I do, so... Any idea?"  
Belthazor turned and glared at him, seizing his arm strongly: "Now, you listen. I am on it. And we talked about this before."  
Chris stared at him between scared and angry. He winced slightly because the strength with which he was holding his arm was also hurting him.  
"I know you hate inactivity as much as I do, too, but we're gonna find a solution." Then he softened his grip, and tried to smile when he realised the look in Chris's and above all, in little Wyatt's eyes. "After all, Chris... I don't think they really wanna make you disappear. You saved the future from an evil that would have made the balance incline to one of the sides. They owe you, even they DO know that. And Julian will make sure that they don't forget about this..." Chris frowned.  
"What..." Bianca stepped towards them, too. But Belthazor looked at the baby again, angrily, and she stopped. "What do you mean??"  
"I mean... They might just want to scare him to death, so that he can find a way to reverse what he did, or maybe they want to make a point, show that they are the highest power or something, because I doubt they really wanna make him vanish. Why would they give him time, otherwise?? Sure there are some who don't trust him, but the majority won't be that stupid."  
Chris sighed, understanding what he meant, but still frustrated: "Great... But still, we need to find a way to reverse that, don't we??"  
Belthazor nodded, pensive, and then glared at Hope, who was starting to cry louder. Wyatt sucked his thumb, very serious, still grabbing Bianca's jeans. "But I still need peace around me to be able to think."  
Bianca sighed, and turned back: "Ok, I will go back to the cell with the kids." And she left, leaving the two of them alone and pensive.

& & & & &

As soon as Leo orbed with Julian back to the Elders, the demonic witch looked around amazed. Then they spotted a huge group of people who were cornering two men in white suite.  
Julian couldn't help smiling. "So that's why it didn't bother you to take me with you..." he said to Leo, pointing at the human couple and the student-witches, "how did they get up here?" Leo just shrugged.  
"WE WILL NOT LET YOU GET HIM!" Angela yelled at that moment, pricking one of the Cleaners in his chest.  
"You can't change it..." he responded unimpressed.  
"But... after all he did to save this world... Hell, he's the owner of Excalibur, you can't erase him!" Michael tried to argue, while the students in his back looked kind of angry.  
The other Cleaner smirked: "We can... Yes, he's the owner of the sword, but so is Christopher... And yes he saved the world, but still we could let him die short after that... and you wouldn't even notice..."  
Michael rose his hands in frustration, running out of ideas. Slowly he began to realise that this discussion was pointless. Angela, on the other hand, lost her temper with the Cleaner's last statement. With a yell of frustration and anger, she punched the Cleaner on his nose!  
The students and also Julian started to laugh while the Cleaners nose started to bleed. The Elders who stood around, like Odin, Silas, Elenia, Jeremiah, Yuri and Lyta, just looked at the scene without showing any kind of reaction. Yes, they all were pacifistic from deep down inside. But they also could get angry, and at the moment they all were more than that. Chris was one of their own, even if they needed a while to realise it. And Silas was really happy that Angela beat that Cleaner, because all rules forbade him to do it on his own. So they all just stood there and watched, always ready to protect the mortals if necessary.  
"OK! ENOUGH!" Leo shouted and went over to them, followed by a still chuckling Julian.  
The Cleaner rose his eyes to met those of the Elder, but said nothing.  
Leo went on: "We're not here to fight, we're here to talk... Because we think that there IS a way out of this."  
Now the Cleaners turned to them with interest.  
Julian felt uncomfortable. He didn't like those guys, he never did. But when Leo turned to him, he knew it was his time to speak. "Well..." he started moving his hand through his hair, "Chris isn't responsible for all that, he..."  
"Of course he is! So, as I said, this is..." The Cleaner had interrupted the demonic witch but was then interrupted on his own, by a furious Angela.  
"You better listen to them carefully, if you don't want me to punch you again," she hissed.  
"What I wanted to say," Julian went on, "Chris is the victim of an attack by a demon called Veenosh - I'm sure you heard of him. He's trying to control his mind, and that's not only a danger for Chris but also for all the Halliwells, he's after... And if he gets them all killed, the balance could be disturbed seriously..."  
Leo was impressed by the words of that demonic witch and he was actually wondering if what he said was true... Was his family in danger?  
One of the Cleaners narrowed his eyes and said: "So... we're listening..."  
Julian sighed. "We already have a potion to vanquish the demon. What we need now, is to find out where he's hiding." Julian made a break looking from on to the other. Then he went on: "The only way, to find out where he is, is to track him down while he is manipulating someone... Therefore we want to let Chris... well... maybe... more than likely... expose magic again, because that surely will happen, when Veenosh is controlling him."  
The Cleaners kept silent and so did Julian. Now Silas went closer and rose to speak: "They are right, that's the only option we have."  
One of the Cleaners turned to Leo: "But still we'll erase him after that..."  
Now Leo smirked: "I don't think so... Because, if you don't guarantee us, to do your job and clean this mess without harm him in any kind of way, my son will stay where he is right now, and you'll never be able to find him..."  
The Cleaners looked at each other then they turned to Julian, Silas and Leo again. "We have to discuss that," one of them said, "wait here." And with that they vanished.

& & & & &

"Did he talk to you?" Bianca asked when her husband returned to Julian's room. She was sitting on the bed, breastfeeding Hope, while Wyatt had found the popcorn and was now eating it happily.  
Chris sighed and sat down next to her, caressing his little girl's cheek. She was so cute when she was drinking. No, she was more than that, she was an amazing wonder. Then he looked up to look at his wife. "He said, Julian had an idea, but hasn't told him all yet. And he'll talk to the Cleaners himself, since it could be to risky if I go there... Anyway, if they agree it's still me playing the freaked-out Elder again as we discussed before."  
"Nothing new?" Bianca asked.  
Chris shook his head and sighed. Then he leaned over to her and kissed her softly. "They will find a way... I'm sure..."  
"Yeah... are you really sure?"  
The Elder-witch nodded: "Yeah... because I'm sure this is not like it's supposed to end... I'm sure there is more in life for you and me..."  
Bianca smiled: "That sounds good to me..."  
He nodded. He wasn't so sure at all, but she was right. He had no other chance than believing in Belthazor and Julian in this case. And he still knew what the Oracle had showed him a few months ago... 'There has to be a way out of this,' he thought.  
"When you're doing that," Bianca said all of a sudden, "I mean... go out there and play the bait... Then I'm coming with you!"  
"What?" Chris asked unbelieving. "No... you can't... who shall take care of Hope and Wyatt when you come with me?"  
She sighed. He had a point there. But still... "Well, then I'll bring them home before," she suggested.  
Chris thought about that for a moment. Then he agreed. He was sure he would feel better when he wouldn't be alone. And he knew that she wouldn't let him hurt her, after all she was a Phoenix. So finally he nodded.  
Then they both turned to watch Wyatt again, who was still eating and playing with the popcorn.  
"Jesus, Wyatt... if mom finds out you're eating so much of this sweet stuff, she's going to ground both of us for the rest of our lives..."  
Wyatt chuckled, turning to Chris: "Won't tell her."  
The Elder-witch nodded: "Alright... So we have our first brotherly super secret." Then he stood up smiling, and went over to him, picking him to his arms.  
Wyatt thought about his big brother's words for a moment. Then he nodded and pointed at himself. "Super secret 's safe with Wyatt," he declared, making the others smile at him.

& & & & &

Darryl sighed. He had shown his papers and the map to the Halliwells and was now leaning back on the sofa while Paige and Piper were still bent over all that stuff frowning. They had returned from the kitchen as soon as Kyle had told them about the new discoveries.  
"You really think it could be there? Where that robber is hiding?" Paige asked. She had a weird feeling in her stomach about that.  
Darryl shrugged. "It's the only thing I could find... but after all what happened today I don't think we should waste a chance."  
Piper moved her finger over the map, along the imaginary line of the robberies, from left to right, and then back to the left. "I think I need another coffee," she said then.  
"Me too," Cole agreed.  
Kyle nodded: "I get us some..." Then he rose and walked to the kitchen, but when he was about to cross the room he suddenly stopped. "WAIT!" he exclaimed.  
"What's wrong?" Paige asked worried.  
Kyle pointed at the map: "Look... look at that from this side... this isn't an arrow... that's a 'V'... like in..."  
"...Veenosh." Piper ended his sentence. Kyle nodded.  
"Could it be, that this was all part of his plan?" Paige asked.

* * *

_(Chapter 9 written by Chrissy.W.x and Belén)_


	10. Chapter 10

**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
Chapter 10**

After they were left alone, Leo turned to Angela and Michael with a sigh. "I think I should take you home..."  
The other Elders nodded peremptorily, but Angela looked at Michael, who stepped forward: "No, Leo. I don't wanna go home now and just wait... Besides, there's still the problem with the FBI."  
"Yeah, if we go home, they might interrogate us. And we know too much," the woman added.  
Leo sighed again, but Jeremiah took the word this time: "No, Leo is right. At least you should go back to the magic school and the students too."  
After those words, the kids and teenagers started to protest energetically, but the Elders finally managed to convince them all that it was the best. There was nothing for them to do in this place. If they went back, probably they would be more useful. Finally, Michael consented and explained the students how they could work from there. If they had to expose magic to save Chris, they'd do it, and the best headquarter was the magic school. So Leo took them there quickly, to be back when the Cleaners would return.

& & & & &

Piper separated from the map and shook her head tiredly: "His plan?? Whose plan, Veenosh?? And which is his plan?? This is so frustrating!" Paige sighed and looked at Kyle, who shrugged, a little bit confused.  
"Couldn't it just be a coincidence?? I mean... It's easy to draw a V on a map, joining spots... Maybe I was too fast coming here with this. I've been studying it for so long, that I think I am seeing ghosts now." Darryl dried his sweat from his forehead.  
But Kyle interrupted him: "It's not a coincidence. I think it's all a plan. That time when I was working with those guys from the x-file-cases made me understand all these patterns they use, and..." he paused, blushing a little bit, "well, yeah... I was very curious at that time, my job was boring, so sometimes I... I secretly read through some of their reports, but..."  
Cole nodded, walking around them, and interrupting him when he saw how much he had blushed. "Yeah, this is a clear pattern. A 'V' of Veenosh plus an arrow. He's saying he's..." and he pointed at the map, "right here."  
Piper couldn't believe all that stuff. She was really tired, and pessimistic, that was the big problem with her: "You mean that all those robberies were planned to attract my son to his lair?? For what??"  
Darryl and Kyle shrugged, but Cole spoke again: "Not necessarily him... But the source, remember? I think they planned to expose magic, to get to the source."  
Darryl frowned: "But that's stupid... I mean, not your point, Cole, but... Veenosh's plan. Why should he want normal people to think that the source of all evil is the responsible for this? Especially when no one knows him or can do anything against him... And even if it's so, why is this affecting Chris?"  
Cole took a deep breath, feeling himself observed by the others. "No, no, no... That was not the plan," he began, ignoring the why-Chris-question. "The plan implied exposing magic, because doing so, the Cleaners would come."  
Silence wrapped them up for a moment, until Paige broke it, opening her eyes widely: "Oh, God, I see it now! He doesn't have the power to kill the source, or maybe he doesn't want to risk it... So the Cleaners are a great option, but they won't do anything as long as Belthazor stays in the Underworld, and therefore... They exposed magic outside, causing him to sooner or later come out!!"  
Cole nodded, and Darryl and Kyle listened and thought about it carefully, but Piper finally exploded.  
"Well, can anyone explain to me what the hell all this has to do with MY SON?"  
Silence emerged again.  
Cole stared at Piper, and said after a while: "I guess that was collateral damage, Piper. He was caught in the middle of the fire."  
Paige nodded, as she caressed Kyle's hand, nervously: "I am afraid he's right. For this time, Chris was not the aim."  
"Or he was... maybe that demon wants both of them," Kyle suggested.  
Piper sat down frustrated and rubbed her eyes, trying to assimilate everything.  
Then, Darryl intervened: "But if that was the plan, and that so-called Veenosh wanted the Cleaners to end with the source... Why do you think this V is actually pointing at him? I guess he wouldn't like to be implied."  
But at those words, Cole and Kyle exchanged looks and smirked. "Personal signature," both of them said at the same time. And Cole added: "He wanted witches and demons to know that HE did it. Because if he wants to be the new source, he needs the respect of the other demons, or he won't have that crown for long..."  
"Or he has people who did those robberies for him, and he wants somebody - like Chris - to find them there... like a bait..." Darryl added.  
Paige swallowed and looked at Piper, whose sight was lost in the nothingness.  
"Ok..." The youngest of the sisters clapped her hands once, showing herself ready for the fight: "Then we need to hurry. Who's coming with me, to get that demon?"

& & & & &

Silas sat on the stairs, his head in his hands, thinking about everything. Julian, Yuri and Odin stood next to him. He sighed raising his head: "This is not good..."  
"What do you mean?" Odin asked.  
"All this... this plan," Silas said underlining his words with a gesture of his hands. "If it's true that Chris is that vulnerable without that magical protection, it's a huge risk to let him go out! Not only for the people around him, but also for himself."  
The female Elder nodded: "He's right Odin. The power an Elder can radiate is much bigger than what Chris had already shown. And see what this already cursed. If he would lose his control, he..."  
"He won't," Julian and Odin said at the same time.  
The latter looked at the witch and frowned. How could he be so sure when he didn't know what they were talking about? But maybe Julian DID know? He shook his head.  
But Julian didn't notice. Instead he said to the other two: "I believed in him with that prophecy-thing and I do it now, too. Chris can handle this."  
Everyone was surprised by the certainty in Julian's voice. But he hadn't finished his speech yet. "He saved my ass a couple of times, and I know he knows the risks... that's why I'm going with him, when the time comes... To help him, if he needs someone."  
"Thanks," Silas said, "I'm sure he'll appreciate that."  
At this moment Leo stepped to the little group - he had just orbed back - and asked: "Anything new?" They all shook their heads.  
So he nodded and sat down next to Silas, sighing deeply. This was all so frustrating. His mind travelled back to the time when Chris arrived in the past. How he hated him at first and how shocked he was when he found out that this annoying freak was his son, how much he loved him from that very moment... He couldn't believe that this mess was now happening. Chris had gone through so much and now, when he finally was happy, got everything he deserved... now such a little stupid demon came and was about to destroy everything. He wouldn't let that happen. "I won't let that happen," he muttered.  
"What?" Yuri asked.  
Leo stood up and started to pace around. "This!" he said now loudly, to answer the question. Then he went on with a notable darker voice: "If the Cleaners want to have him, then they shall try! But I will not let them get him... never!"  
"Leo," Odin said calmly. "Don't go there... Nothing will happen to Chris, WE can't let that happen. But don't let emotions take over your mind, we need to keep cool, think clearly..." Leo sighed again and nodded.  
A few minutes later, the Cleaners reappeared. Their faces were calm, without any emotion, as the little group - led by Leo - approached them.  
"And?" Odin asked, before his friend could say something stupid. "Did you come to a decision?"  
The first Cleaner, who's nose was slightly swollen, nodded.  
Julian rolled his eyes as Yuri sighed and asked: "And what is your decision?"  
The second Cleaner smirked: "We agree about the fact that this problem is bigger than we thought."  
"And we agree that the subject Chris Halliwell could have done nothing to escape that mind-controlling..." the first one said.  
"...which we agree, that had happened," added the second one.  
Julian couldn't believe that those guys needed so long for a simple yes-or-no-answer. 'Cleaners...' he thought grumbling.  
After a moment of silence, the first Cleaner went on: "We agree that this demon needs to be destroyed and therefore we agree to your plan!"  
"YES!" Julian exclaimed, but then looked down to his feet, when he noticed the confused look on the Cleaners faces.  
"What about Chris? Will you help to cover this mess?" Leo asked.  
Now it was the second Cleaner again, who answered: "That depends on how the things will go on from now." With this words they disappeared.

& & & & &

Belthazor was pacing through his room. He felt weird... so weird... he cursed the day he wanted to reunite with Cole. He cursed the day the boy saved his ass... Since that time his life was nothing else but weird. He was getting emotional... he was getting weak.  
Actually that was the most reason for him to not want the kids in his space. He was afraid of them, or better afraid of the feelings they woke in him. 'Wyatt is really adorable,' he thought suddenly, and then cursed himself for that. He needed to calm down, relax, be angry like he should be. 'Hope is so cute,' he thought then, and again swore in the most horrible way. No... the kids couldn't affect him like that. He wouldn't let that happen.  
He would prove it to himself. He was the source of all evil. No kid in this world could wake weak emotions in him. They should be lucky that he didn't kill them right in the spot.  
He smirked and went over to Julian's room. Now he would show them who he really was. Without a knock he stormed through the door, an evil grin on his face.  
Bianca looked up surprised. She was sitting on the bed with Wyatt leaning on her site. She had one of Julian's books on her lap and Wyatt was looking interested at one of the pictures.  
Chris on the other hand was walking through the room, with his daughter in his arms, her head lying on his shoulder, waiting for her to burp, but Hope was only giggling tiredly.  
Chris looked at the source, noticing how his evil grin changed into a wide smile as the huge demon slowly approached him.  
'Oh hell... she's so cute,' Belthazor couldn't help thinking. The girl was now looking at him with wide opened eyes. Not afraid but interested.  
Slowly he came closer until he was next to them. Chris didn't back away, even if that thought crossed his mind for a moment. But he just couldn't.  
While Bianca observed him warily Belthazor rose his hand and caressed the kid's cheek with his forefinger. Hope giggled even more and Chris could have sworn that the demon's eyes sparkled a little.  
"She's cute," Belthazor said.  
Chris smiled warmly and nodded agreeing. But then Hope did burp but threw up a little more than just air, spitting the contend of her stomach on the Elder-witch's shoulder. "Oh no!" Chris exclaimed. Then he turned to the demon wrinkling his nose: "Yeah... really cute." And Bianca and Belthazor started to laugh.

& & & & &

"Wait!" Cole had stood up when Paige was about to get things going. "We can't just orb there... we still don't know this for sure... it could also be a trap." Darryl nodded in agreement.  
"Maybe... But we can't waste time... if Chris..." Kyle remarked.  
But Piper interrupted him: "No. I guess Cole is right. We need to be sure. And we need to be sure that we don't do more harm than good."  
Right at the moment orbing lights filled the room and Leo returned together with Silas, Yuri and Julian.  
"Who is she?" was Piper's first reaction. She still had her problems with the Elders, especially female ones.  
"That's Yuri," Silas explained, "she's the mentally strongest Elder, she will help us to track down Veenosh."  
Paige frowned: "So shall that mean..."  
"Yes," Leo interrupted her, "the Cleaners agreed to Julian's plan."  
The demonic witch nodded: "In a few minutes Chris will orb back to somewhere in San Francisco. The Elder will sense for him, and when Veenosh attacks, which - as I believe - could take a little moment, she will tell you where he is. Then you'll go and vanquish him."  
"I go and get Phoebe," Paige said and orbed away.  
"What about the rest?" Cole asked and Piper looked at her husband questioning, too.  
Leo sighed: "They didn't say. Well, they said it depends on how things will go on..." Piper swallowed and Cole nodded.  
Then Kyle cleared his throat, before he asked: "What about us?"  
Piper send him a warm smile: "This is our job, not yours."  
"I know, but I want to help!"  
Cole shrugged: "Why don't you take Leo and go to that old factory?"  
All eyes turned to him. "What factory?" Leo asked.  
But Cole just went on. "I mean," he tried to explain, "maybe you find something there which helps to prove that Chris has nothing to do with the robberies. You can enter, as soon as we know that he's not there... and I really believe, he isn't. And if it's a trap Leo can orb you out..."  
Kyle looked at Darryl, who nodded: "Sounds like a plan."  
Cole then turned to Julian and gestured for him to follow him to the hallway. He needed to tell him what they had found out before he shimmered back down again.

& & & & &

After the students, Angela and Michael had returned to the school, the woman led the students to one of the great halls, they could do nothing more, than wait and plan what to do in the worst case, of course...  
Michael meanwhile went to check the library. When he entered he saw most of the kids just sitting around, waiting for something. They couldn't do anything else at the moment.  
He cleared his throat and as the kids looked up he said: "The others are at that huge hall next to the stairs... They are planing what to do if all plans fail... so if you want to join them?"  
They all jumped up immediately. At least this way they had something to do.  
Drew turned to Veronica: "If you need our help again, we're there!"  
"Thanks," she replied and he left with a weak smile.  
As soon as they were gone, Michael informed the others about that what had happened up there. Actually they were all surprised to hear that they HAD BEEN up there...

& & & & &

"Time to go."  
Julian's voice interrupted the temporal joy in his own bedroom. When saying this, he noticed what had happened that was making all the people in the room have so much fun. He smiled very slightly, but said nothing about it, while Bianca had tried to clean Chris' shirt a little.  
"The Cleaners...?" Chris started turning to him, and Julian nodded.  
"They said you can help." He didn't mention the second part of the deal, but Belthazor was looking at him wonderingly, and Bianca turned to him completely, suspicious. "What about... You know. Will they let him... US, alone?"  
Julian sighed, lowering his eyes, and moved his feet playfully. "They will consider the situation when it's done. It all depends on how the things develop. But," he added immediately, seeing how Chris, Bianca, and even the reddish Belthazor went paler, "all the Halliwells and your friends, and the Elders, and even the students are working on it." He smiled at Chris reassuringly: "You don't need to worry. They will find a solution." Belthazor sighed and also smiled weakly.  
Chris, on the other side, nodded, seriously as he caressed little Hope's back, but Bianca patted his shoulder warmly: "They're all with you, honey. They love you."  
Chris looked at her, and then at the other two, and smiled, but his worried expression was still there: "Ok... So let's do it."  
Bianca took his hand: "First we should go home and leave the children there."  
"Wait!" Before Chris could answer, it had been Belthazor that had stepped forward and stopped them: "Chris cannot go home. If Veenosh attacks then..."  
Chris agreed immediately. "That's what I was gonna say. You can go, I promise I will wait," he told Bianca, who took little Hope in her arms, and held Wyatt's hand. Then she kissed Chris on his lips, as he embraces her, too.  
"Then, wait here; I'll just be right back. Promise," Bianca said and left with the kids.  
Once she was gone, Chris turned to Julian and Belthazor, nervously playing with his hands. "Well... And now??" he asked looking at them, even though he knew well what had to happen next.  
"You said it on your own... we'll wait..."  
Chris sighed and started to pace around, feeling suddenly like there was something wrong in their plan. Then it hit him: "What if it doesn't work?"  
"What do you mean?" Julian asked frowning.  
"I mean, what if Veenosh doesn't want me? We still can't say for sure who he's after. And when..."  
"...I stay protected he'll maybe not attack us..." Belthazor ended his sentence nodding.  
"We told the Cleaners that he's after you, Chris... after you and your family..." Julian said, "actually because we believed that... But..."  
"But what?" the other two said in union.  
"Well... the sisters think that maybe Veenosh wanted to use the Cleaners to erase you," he explained, looking at the source.  
Belthazor was silent for a moment, then he said: "So I have to leave this place, too..."  
"No!" Julian exclaimed as Chris looked from one to the other. "The Cleaners must believe that he's after Chris otherwise..."  
"So I go," Chris said determined, "and you stay down here with Julian... you just have to break the protection spell."  
"He can't stay."  
"I can't stay."  
Both said this at the same time.  
"What?"  
Julian sighed: "I promised to protect you, Chris."  
"It's too risky down here anyway, with me possibly freaking out," Belthazor added seriously.  
"But you could hurt yourself," Chris replied and was at the same time surprised that he cared about that.  
Belthazor smirked having an idea...

& & & & &

Darryl and Kyle were just gone when Leo turned to his wife again. "Be careful," he said and kissed her forehead.  
"You either," she said and smiled.  
Then he orbed out to meet the two policemen a few streets away, because they were sure that some of the guys from the FBI were still watching them, that they would even follow them. And since Leo wasn't officially home he couldn't leave with them.  
As soon as he was gone, Phoebe returned from the kitchen, with four vials of potion.  
"Four?" Paige asked surprised.  
The empath nodded and gave one to her, one to Piper and finally one to Cole: "Four witches, four potions," she said.  
Her husband smiled thankful that she invited him in that kind of way. But Piper frowned: "I'm not sure if that it's a good idea." Paige nodded.  
Phoebe rolled her eyes as Cole looked at his feet: "He's a witch too... he can help. What's the use of his powers, when you don't let him help?"  
The other two sisters looked at each other and then nodded. "Ok," Piper sighed.  
Cole smiled: "Thanks..." He couldn't have been able to stand it, to be left behind again. Especially not in this situation.  
At that moment Bianca shimmered in, with the kids on her side.  
"Wyatt!" Piper exclaimed and hugged her little boy. "I was so worried about you, are you fine?"  
The boy nodded: "It was fun... The demon likes me..."  
Piper rose her eyebrows and opened her eyes widely. She wanted to say something. She opened her mouth... but then closed it again. She was speechless.  
"I guess, I better take the kids to the school to the others..." Silas said. And when everyone agreed he picked the kids up and orbed with them away.  
Bianca was about to leave, too, when Julian shimmered in. "What's wrong?" she asked immediately.  
"Nothing," Julian said. "Everything is ready, I just wanted to ask Cole if he could come down with us... we could need him."  
"What? Why?" the man asked.  
"Actually it was Chris's idea, if that helps... and I really can't say more..." Julian said cryptically.  
Cole sighed and placed the potion back on the table: "I guess I won't need that today..."  
Phoebe sighed too and then hugged him: "Next time, honey... I promise."  
He nodded. Then he went over to Julian and took his hand. "Wait one minute before you follow us," Julian said to Bianca, then he shimmered away.  
"What's that about?" Yuri asked.  
Bianca shrugged: "I really have no idea."

& & & & &

After a while of sitting around in the library in silence, since no one knew what else to do, Silas orbed in with Wyatt and Hope. The little boy jumped over to Nicki who held Christopher in his arms. Wyatt observed the sleeping boy and then caressed careful his cheek.  
"So they agreed?" Michael asked.  
The Elder nodded: "Yeah, the show is about to begin."  
"Is there anything we can do?" Steve, who sat next to Nicki, asked.  
"You already helped enough... the sisters will deal with that, don't worry... everything will be fine."  
"So we can only wait again?" Tom asked looking at Veronica, who sighed disappointed.  
"I'm afraid so," Silas answered and sat down next to Nicki and Steve, still holding Hope in his arms. Then he turned to Elenia and then to the woman next to him: "I've talked to the others up there about the attack... They believe that demon was after Steve... actually... we think it was the same kind of demon like..."  
"I know..." Elenia said suddenly tensed.  
"What demon? What do you know?" Steve asked confused and worried as Nicki looked from on to the other.  
Elenia sighed: "It was a demon from the clan, your father was from."  
If Steve hadn't already sat, he had fallen to the ground. Nicki's eyes grew wide as she grasped his hand. Both were too shocked to say anything.  
It was Tom who asked the question, the couple wasn't able to voice: "What does that mean... Do they want to take him back or something?"  
Elenia and Silas looked at each other in silent conversation. Then the latter said: "This could turn into a huge problem..."

& & & & &

When Cole and Julian entered Belthazor's bedroom in, the witch was simply shocked. What he saw was against everything he thought was real. He arrived just in time to see Chris close another chain around one of Belthazor's wrists, chaining him to the wall.  
"What the hell are you doing?" Cole exclaimed angry.  
"Hey calm down ok?" Julian said as Chris looked up to meet his eyes.  
The Elder-witch shrugged: "Believe me Uncle Cole... that wasn't my idea..."  
"But... I don't..." Cole was wild gesturing with his hands, even if he wasn't sure what he wanted to say.  
Belthazor smirked amused to see his 'brother' being so worried. Then he said: "It was my idea, Cole... And it was Chris's to take you down here to give me some company..."  
Cole just frowned confused, looking from Belthazor to Chris in search for an explanation.  
But it was Julian who spoke: "We don't know if it's Chris or Belthazor, that demon is after. So actually we need you to cast the reverse spell to unprotect the liar."  
"You want to put him in danger?... While he's chained??" Cole asked not believing his ears.  
"I'm in more danger when I'm free..." the source explained. "Those chains prevent me from using my powers, but Veenosh will be able to sense me..."  
"We don't want him to be alone down here," Chris said, "he needs someone to keep him sane, like I will have Bianca... that's why I thought about you."  
Cole shook his head: "Alright... but I still don't get why you're both affected anyway... actually no one really understands... Leo said someth..."  
Belthazor sighed. Chris looked at him and then answered calmly: "Because there is a kind of connection between us. I don't know more about this, either. I just know that it is like that."  
Cole's head turned around looking at his nephew shocked. But before he could answer something, Julian spoke again: "We need to go, Chris... Bianca will be back soon."  
He nodded, then looked at Cole and gave him a sheet of paper: "Take care of you... Cast the spell in three minutes from now..." Then he left with Julian. When the door closed behind them Cole was still shocked. He slowly turned to Belthazor: "Jesus, I guess you have a lot to explain!"

& & & & &

Kyle looked out of the window, worried, while Darryl drove the car down the street. When they had left the manor they had of course recognised that black car which was following them now.  
"By the way," Darryl then started to talk, "I got a phone call from the lab, the fingerprints you found at that girl's house fit to those from other burglaries in that area... So this case seems to be magic free." Kyle just nodded absentminded.  
So the detective glanced over at his young friend, guessing his thoughts, and smiled understanding, before he turned his attention back to the traffic. "Don't worry... I'm sure this will turn out good..."  
Kyle sighed and turned to him: "What makes you so sure?"  
Darryl shrugged: "I don't know. Maybe because it always does..."  
The young man let out some air: "And what if not? I know it's weird, but I'm afraid about what will happen to the family if we can't solve this..."  
"The family?... Or are you talking more about Paige?"  
Kyle glanced at him annoyed, but Darryl had hit the spot. When Kyle turned back to look out the window, he asked: "Is it that obvious?"  
Darryl nodded. And after a short moment of silence he said: "Look, I don't want to be interfering and... I guess you know how much the sisters mean to me... But are you sure that it's a good idea to have such a close relationship to one of them? With all the demons and all?? I mean..." He sighed: "Well... I guess I'm not sure what I mean, but..."  
Kyle smiled: "I do know what you want to say... I asked myself the same thing."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah..."  
"And?" Darryl asked when Kyle kept silent.  
"I love her," Kyle said with a sigh. Then he pointed at the front. "There is Leo!"

& & & & &

As soon as Bianca materialised outside the cave, Chris hugged her tightly. He just needed to feel her close for a moment.  
"Hey sweetie," Bianca said knowing exactly what's going on inside her husband, "just a few more minutes and everything will be fine..."  
"I love you," was Chris only response.  
She smiled at him. Then, looking around, she noticed someone's missing: "Where is Cole?"  
"He's fine, I'll explain that to you later..." She nodded. They hadn't the time for long explanations and... she knew she could trust him.  
Julian sighed: "I don't want to interrupt you, but we need to go."  
Chris nodded and all three shimmered out.

* * *

_(Chapter 10 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_


	11. Chapter 11

**A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:  
Enemy In My Mind  
Chapter 11**

"Jesus, I guess you have a lot to explain!"  
Belthazor had remained staring at Cole after he had said this, somehow amused. It was funny to see his other half so distressed, but soon he discovered, or better, he remembered, that Cole was as impatient as himself.  
"Are you gonna tell me why all this parody??" The witch folded his arms in front of his chest: "I guess you have three minutes. Two and a half now, to explain yourself."  
Belthazor raised his eyebrow, amused: "Ok... Three minutes... so no time, brother. I am sorry." But he saw how Cole was opening his mouth again to speak, so he went on: "Ok, ok... It's just there's not much to say. As we said before, I don't wanna hurt anyone, nor even myself, and these chains will prevent me from that..."  
Cole finally sighed, feeling defeated, and sat down on the edge of the bed, not knowing what to say. Belthazor followed him with his eyes: "You're worried."  
"No," was the dry answer of the witch.  
But Belthazor smiled: "You are, man, I can see it."  
"Well, for Chris. He's my nephew." Cole was still staring at the nothingness and couldn't see Belthazor's weird smile.  
"Oh, yeah, of course..." the source said, shrugging, "whatever..."  
"Well, a little," Cole added suddenly, looking at him out of the corner of his eyes. Then he turned his entire head to the red demon who was listening to him attentively. "It's just... I don't know why I worry about you! I mean... You're... the source... I don't understand many things..." Cole rubbed his temples. He had thought about that so many times since he had started to receive the e-mails, and since the very day he had asked them not to kill Belthazor... Belthazor was evil, he was the source of the underworld and they were witches. Witches kill demons, as simple as that. And the Charmed Ones must kill the source!!  
But Belthazor smiled as if he had listened to his thoughts. Then he shrugged: "Well, Cole... Things are not that simple. That's why we call this life!"  
Cole turned to him, looking shocked and surprised: "Wow, man... Since when are you a philosopher?" His look was sad. He knew his other half was right, and also he hated seeing him chained. It was as if he himself was chained. It had been him and somehow it was still him.  
But Belthazor burst into laughter at his question: "Since you left me and turned me into a weak red thing!"  
Cole smirked, naughtily: "You mean I was the strong part of us??"  
At those words, Belthazor stared at him with a grave expression on his face: "Of course you were. All the strong will was in you. That's why you could beat me, Cole. When we fell in love with a Charmed One, and we had to decide between good and evil... It was your strong will that guided us, not the evil nature in me..."  
There was silence for some seconds, as the statement sank in Cole's mind with all its heaviness. Finally the witch sighed: "Maybe I was the strong will of us. But also the good side in you."  
Belthazor smirked again, staring at him. "Maybe... maybe you still are..." he said after a while, but immediately he added, "and maybe... you should read that spell, Cole. The three minutes are over." The witch kept his eyes on him for a while, and then nodded slightly, unfolding the paper Chris had given to him.

& & & & &

Chris took a deep breath when they appeared out in the fresh air... or as fresh as possible in the backyard of a seemingly small and dirty restaurant. He sighed: "And now?"  
Julian shrugged, but Bianca took him by the hand: "Let's have a walk."  
They left the backyard and went down the street. But nothing happened. If Julian wouldn't have been by their side, Chris could have almost forgotten why he was doing this. For a moment he just enjoyed the freedom. But that should change quickly.  
When the three turned around the next corner, they bumped into a man.  
"Oh I'm sorry," he said so fast, that it was hard to understand him.  
"Never mind," Chris said and was about to move on.  
But the man suddenly looked at him scared. "You... you.." he stuttered and backed away.  
Then another person spotted them. "Oh my God... it's the demon!"  
Bianca looked around warily while Chris sighed rolling his eyes: "Guess my little performance yesterday gained a lot of attention." His voice was bitter. Then he turned to the demonic-witch, shaking his head: "Demon?"  
Julian shrugged. "Ok," he said then, "we'd better go..."  
But before the could leave, Chris suddenly rose his hands to his temples, rubbing them.  
"Chris are you ok?" Bianca asked worried, but when she turned to him, he saw that his eyes had turned dark.  
"No," Chris whispered almost inaudible. The next second he broke down crying in agony.

& & & & &

At the same time at magic school's library, Nicki sat still by Steve's side, holding his hand tightly. She... they both had thought, when Elenia had said that Steve's father was vanquished, that this was the end of the story. Non of them had thought that there still was a whole clan behind that.  
"I'm sorry," he suddenly said caressing her hand.  
"For what?"  
"For putting you in so much danger... maybe it's better when I..." he said sighing.  
But Nicki interrupted him: "No, honey... Don't go there... There is nothing you have to be sorry for. I love you... You are a great man!"  
"You're like a brother," Tom added.  
"A great friend," Veronica agreed.  
Elenia looked from one to the other, happy for her son, that he had such good friends, who still stood by his side.  
"You are all I ever dreamed of and more," Nicki said and kissed him.  
Steve, who was forced to silence by that kiss, smiled into her lips. He loved her so much, but still he felt guilty that she was attacked.  
As if she had guessed his thoughts, she added then: "Don't worry... If they want to fight, then they shall come... we will kick their fat butts right to hell..." Veronica and Tom nodded energetically.  
Steve sighed: "Ok... But be careful, all of you!"  
At that moment, Wyatt, who was playing in a corner by that time, began to cry. Seconds later his shield went up around him and Christopher and Hope, who were sleeping on a blanket near by.  
Silas sighed: "Seems like the show had begun."

& & & & &

Yuri was levitating about five inches above the table in the living room, her legs crossed, her hands softly rested on her knees and her eyes closed. She was trying to track down Veenosh but this was actually harder than they had thought it would be.  
Meanwhile Piper and Phoebe were pacing around nervously in the hallway, careful not to disturb the Elder, while Paige observed her with interest.  
"What takes her so long?" Piper more stated then asked. She was just worried about Chris and what he might do at that moment. A minute ago the Elder had announced that she felt a presence in Chris mind... One minute... Chris could destroy half of San Francisco in a minute if he wanted to...  
"Piper," Phoebe said annoyed. Her sister was so nervous that she could feel it, even through her sister HAD taken that empathy-blocking-potion. "Your son won't hurt anyone... and Bianca and Julian are there, too... they will take care of him!"  
The oldest Charmed One nodded: "I know... I'm just... I'm his mother, damned, I'm allowed to worry!"  
"Shhhhhh..." Paige hissed from the living room.  
Piper sighed shaking her head, then she went over to the kitchen.  
"Piper..." Phoebe said frowning, following her with her eyes. "Piper?? What are you doing??" She ran after her just to find her sister at the sink, cleaning the dishes. "Oh Piper," she said softly, went over to her and hugged her.  
"It's ok, Phoebe," she said, "I'm fine... but I need to do something... so as long as I can't kill that demon, I can kill some dirt..."

& & & & &

Darryl drove the car down the long lifeless road to that old factory. He felt a little uncomfortable, or better... he was afraid. He had no idea what was awaiting them there. A demon? A coven of demons? Someone who would love to kill them?  
Again he looked over at his young colleague and was amazed about how relaxed he seemed. Well, he was worried, yes, Darryl knew that. But more about what could happen to Chris... and to Paige. He seemed to be not afraid of what was waiting for them in that building. But was that real or just a facade? Could love do that to someone, making someone so fearless? Or was he believing so deeply in all of them that he just didn't care, that he was sure Leo and the other would not let anything happen to them... He sighed.  
"Are you ok?" Leo asked.  
Darryl nodded: "Sure..."  
"And you Kyle?" the Elder asked while Darryl slowly stopped the car a few yards away from their destination.  
The young officer looked into the back-mirror of the car. "They are still behind us," he remarked instead of answering Leo's question.  
"Kyle," the Elder tried again, while the car finally stopped.  
The young man turned around to him: "Don't worry about me... I'm fine. And yeah, I am careful, because I want to spend at least one night with Paige before I die... So don't worry." Darryl couldn't help chuckling at this comment, while Leo blushed.  
"What?" Kyle asked amused, despite the seriousness of this situation.  
"I don't think that's the right topic to discuss at the moment..." Darryl said still smiling.  
"Right," Leo said looking at Kyle, now smiling too, "and I think we should just leave this car and go over there to find out what's going on... The sooner we do this, the sooner you can return to your love..."

& & & & &

Michael had returned to his wife. When she saw him coming down the hallway, she ran to him and jumped to his arms. They kissed each other lovingly, which gained them some whistles from the students.  
"Anything new?" Angela asked then.  
"They are doing it," Michael said, loud enough for the others to hear him too. "If nothing else happened, Chris should be out there now..."  
"So we should go and find him... to help him!" one of the kids said.  
"No, we can't," Drew said, looking at the adults, "am I right?"  
Michael nodded: "We did all we could, now we can only wait."  
Some of the older kids sighed while the younger ones just sat down again, trying to keep silent.  
Angela hugged her husband closer: "Don't worry, they will save him." Michael smiled at her and nodded.

& & & & &

Cole was pacing around, scared and helpless at the same time. A short while after he had cast that damned spell, his ex-other-half started to scream furiously. He couldn't even imagine how much pain Belthazor had to go through at this moment.  
He had to help him in some way... but Cole didn't know how.  
Belthazor was screaming in pain, trying to break free from his chains. He was screaming at some imaginary enemy that he would kill him. But there was no one there...  
When Cole turned his eyes back to the demon he saw his usually shining eyes dark and foggy. He felt so much pity and worry that moment, that his own feelings nearly overwhelmed him. How could he have such feelings for the evil ruler of the underworld...  
But was he that? The ruler? Evil? Except the first time they met, when Belthazor had forced him to reunited with him, there had been nothing he did directly against the Halliwells. No, he had even helped them. He was always there when especially Chris needed help. He was worried about Chris... Since when was a demon worried about a witch and Elder...??  
"No," Cole voiced his thoughts, "you aren't evil!" Then he stepped closer to the demon and looked him in the eyes. He wasn't sure if he could see him, but he hoped he would at least hear him: "B.? Hey buddy listen to me... Don't believe your eyes, ok? Those things aren't real!"  
For a moment it seemed to Cole that the demon would relax but then he started struggling against the chains again. Belthazor yelled as if someone would torture him.  
Cole closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he grabbed the huge red hand of the source, holding it strongly. Belthazor returned the grasp, making Cole almost cry out in pain, when he felt some bones in his hand breaking... but he didn't. Instead he focused on the demons eyes saying with a calm voice: "You are not alone brother, you are not alone!"

& & & & &

Chris lied on the street, curled like a foetus, screaming in pain. Bianca knelt next to him, trying to calm him down, while Julian made sure that none of the innocents came too close to them.  
Some of the people around where screaming for the police or the ambulance... the man, Chris had run into earlier and who - as it seems - had been there the first time, too, was sending prayers to God and screaming at the other people to stay away from 'that devil'.  
The air was filled with a mess of screaming voices, which didn't made it easier for the young Elder-witch, the owner of Excalibur, who now was just like a vulnerable little boy, screaming for his mommy.  
Bianca felt her heart break, while seeing Chris like that. She wished she could help him, but she couldn't. And with all the screamings, Chris became more and more uneasy.  
"We have to bring him away!" she yelled at Julian.  
The demonic witch shook his head: "We can't!"  
"BUT..."  
Julian knelt down next to her and whispered: "We shouldn't expose magic again. When we get through this without our powers, we have a better position against the Cleaners!"  
Bianca looked at him, furious that he let her husband suffer willingly. But on the other hand she knew he was right.  
_Chris felt like his head was about to explode. His vision was dizzy and everything seemed to have a strange kind of yellow colour. He knew that what he saw wasn't real. But the pain was, and it felt like it would kill him sooner or later.  
He knew why he did this. He knew why he let that demon hurt him. He knew for which reason he had to suffer at this moment. He knew that all this was fake, he knew he was out there, with people watching him. But the longer the pain last the more difficult was it for him to keep the contact to the reality. He could feel how he slowly lost it...  
And then he saw it... them... Bianca with Hope in her arms. She hold her lovingly and smiled at him, with her beautiful warm smile.  
But what was that? There was a demon behind her. Chris screamed for her to watch her back, but it seemed she couldn't hear him.  
_Bianca felt tears streaming down her face. She couldn't see him suffer, she never could. She had put her arms around him, holding him close, trying to calm him down. She whispered loving words into his ear, hoping he would hear them. But then she heard a crackle and when she looked at his hand she saw some tiny electric discharges.  
Without thinking she grasped his hands, hoping that this would stop him from burning another hole into something, or someone...  
_Chris meanwhile saw how the demon pulled out an athame. He wanted to vanquish him with his Elder-powers but it didn't work. His hands were like frozen, like something was holding him back. Then he saw how the demon cut Bianca's throat. He had to see the evil grin on the demon's face while his wife broke down... dead... and the demon took his little girl and shimmered away.  
_"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Chris yelled fighting against the grip of his wife. But Bianca was strong like all Phoenixes, she wouldn't let him go.

& & & & &

Suddenly Piper and Phoebe heard a dumb sound from the living room. Afraid of any attack they ran over to see what happened.  
But when they entered the room, they saw how Paige helped the Elder to stand.  
"What happened?" Piper asked.  
"She suddenly fell down." Paige explained.  
Yuri shook her head then looked at Piper: "I've found him!"  
There was no other word needed. Within a nano-second the sisters where, with potion in hand, ready to orb. "So where do we have to go?" Piper asked.  
Yuri smiled and grabbed the fourth potion. "Long time ago, that I was on a demon-hunt," she said. Then she grasped Piper's hand with her free one, while Paige and Phoebe grabbed Piper's shoulders. There was a silent understanding, no one complained that the Elder wanted to come with them. So Yuri orbed them out.

& & & & &

Odin, Andrew and Jeremiah were watching the situation from above the sky. They were standing around a kind of window to the world underneath them. From there they watched how Chris broke down crying, how he was suffering.  
"I can't believe that we can't do anything..." Andrew said calmly.  
Meanwhile Jeremiah exclaimed angry: "THAT SUCKS!"  
Odin patted his friend's shoulder, understanding him perfectly, while some other Elders started mumbling about Jeremiah's outburst. Everyone knew that he and Chris had been everything else than friends at the beginning... but since the Elder-witch had rescued them all, Jeremiah saw the young man differently... And it was clear that he got used to some of Chris behaviors.  
"Well... what if we let him drive into unconsciousness? Then he wouldn't feel what's going on anymore." Andrew suggested.  
But Jeremiah shook his head, and Odin said: "No... we can't. If Chris doesn't fight back anymore, Veenosh will be able to control him and his powers completely. Then he'll be even able to come up here..."  
The young Elder sighed and they all turned back to the window...

& & & & &

"Ok, I'll go first. Kyle, you watch our back," Darryl commanded as they approached the door to the factory.  
"Shouldn't I go first?" Leo asked.  
"No... well... at least it shall look like an ordinary police-operation..." Darryl answered moving his head into the direction of the FBI-car. The Elder nodded.  
Then Darryl rose his hand to the door, but stopped. "Shouldn't we wait till the others call us?"  
Leo shook his head: "Things are already going... Veenosh isn't here, that's what Yuri checked first and then contacted me..."  
"Contacted? How??"  
"Alright... can we stop talking now?" Kyle asked impatient.  
Darryl didn't answer, instead he moved the door knob. Slowly the small door opened, revealing a large dark fabric-hall. It seemed empty and abandoned, but who knew... Darryl took a deep breath, then he entered. Leo did the same and Kyle followed them after he had once again, looked around. But except that FBI-car, there was no one else to see.  
They walked into the room, which was lighted by the small bits of light which came through the dirty windows. There was nobody there... all they could see was dust and dirt, and all they could hear were some rats seeking for food.  
"Seems like a dead end..." Kyle muttered disappointed. Leo nodded.  
Then they heard steps from outside. A few seconds later, the two agents from the FBI entered with questioning looks on their faces.

& & & & &

The sisters and Yuri materialised in a dark tunnel somewhere in the underworld.  
"What?" Piper asked confused. "Where are we?"  
"Didn't you say you can track him?" Paige asked.  
Yuri nodded: "But it's more difficult when he's in the underworld, so... relax and give me a few more seconds, then I'll have him..."  
Piper and Phoebe sighed in frustration while Yuri fell back in that mentally calm state, she used to have before.  
"Great... Now we are stuck here while my son is suffering up there... we are just standing here and wait..." Piper ranted  
"Hey... calm down, ok?" Phoebe complained. "You're making me nervous!"  
"Got him!" Yuri announced suddenly.  
All heads turned to her. "That fast??" Paige asked.  
Yuri nodded: "It's not far from here, I think we better walk, maybe his cave is protected from orbing in..." The sisters agreed and so the Elder led them down the tunnel...  
A few moments later they reached the entrance of a liar. There he stood. Veenosh. A huge and ugly creature. His skin was dark reddish brown, his clothes... well, he had a kind of towel around his hips, that was all. If that being would have been a well built man, this could have been a nice picture, but this guy was only fat and disgusting. And he was smelling... so much that the sisters had a hard time not to vomit, even if they where still about two yards away from him.  
Veenosh stood, bend over a huge bowl, with some smoking liquid in it. He was whispering some words, the four women didn't understand.  
Piper finally couldn't hold back any longer. "HEY!" she yelled as she stepped forward and let the bowl explode.  
The demon cursed loudly as he turned around to face the intruder. But when he saw the sisters he laughed.  
Piper moved her wrist in order to blow him up but nothing happened. Instead Veenosh threw a fireball at the sisters.  
"FIREBALL!" Paige screamed and sent the burning object right back to his sender. But the demon redirected it at Phoebe.  
The empath tried to avoid the impact but he was too fast, so she got hit in the shoulder.  
"PHOEBE" Piper and Paige yelled at the same time.  
But the middle sister was already back on her feet: "I'm alright."  
"You really think you can harm me?" Veenosh teased them. "Then you are more stupid then I thought!" He laughed again, an evil laugh full of hatred but still filled with amusement.  
But then Yuri threw her potion vial to his feet. And then followed a second one, hitting him in the chest. Another one hit his leg. And finally the last one, which Piper threw right at his head, made Veenosh cry in agony as he was vanquished by the flames of hell.  
"Who's now laughing, Bastard!" Piper yelled at the pile of ashes which was all that was left behind.

& & & & &

Suddenly Chris relaxed, the pressure in his mind had disappeared and Bianca's dead body was gone. Then slowly he began to hear some noises around him and he felt cold as he, step by step, came back to reality.  
Bianca noticed the change, and pulled Chris close into her arms. "Shhhhh baby... it's ok... I'm here... it's alright..." she whispered to his ear softly, lovingly. His body was slightly trembling, his clothes were soaked with sweat.  
"Bianca?" Chris asked feeling still weird, but slowly realising that what he saw hadn't been the truth, that nothing happened to her, that she was fine.  
"I'm here. It's over..." she whispered. 'I hope,' she added in her thoughts.  
"Chris can you stand up?" Julian asked. Then he turned to Bianca to explain: "I guess we should better leave this place."  
Chris looked at Julian, his eyes still unfocused, but he nodded.  
He struggled to stand up and get himself into a steady position. Bianca supported him. Smiling relieved, she pulled a streak out of his face. "Where's Hope?" he asked confused, turning his face to her.  
"At the school," Bianca whispered.  
Chris nodded, then he looked around. Lots of people were staring at him, mumbling something. Some of them were still calling for help for that 'poor man'. Others were looking at him with fear.  
"We should really go, what if it isn't over yet?" Julian voiced what Bianca had thought earlier.  
But Chris shook his head. "No," he said, his voice still weak but clear, "it is... I felt it, when they..." He didn't want to say it out loud with all the people around, but his friends understood him.  
Bianca started to cry, overwhelmed by her emotions, when suddenly everything froze around them, every person, yes every fly was put on hold. A moment later a Cleaner with a slightly swollen nose, appeared in front of them. Bianca and Julian immediately stepped in front of Chris in a protecting way. "You won't get him," the Phoenix hissed.  
But the Cleaner just smiled back at her. Then he turned to Chris who was still struggling not to fall down again. "You're stronger than we had thought..." he said. "They won't remember the flash you've thrown, we made sure of that... But be careful from now on, next time you may not be that lucky." With this words the Cleaner disappeared and the world started to move again.  
The man, who Chris had ran into, and who was scared to death by the Elder-witch before, came now closer and asked friendly: "Are you sure that you're alright? I could drive you to a hospital..."  
Chris smiled still a little confused: "No... thanks, I'm fine."  
The man nodded and then went back to his business same as the others around.  
Bianca had watched all that with suspicion. But now she threw her arms around Chris, almost knocking him down again and kissed him passionately. "I'm... so... happy..." she said between her kisses.  
He just smiled onto her lips, still not getting the whole extent of the events. At that moment he just wanted to go home. And that's what they did...

& & & & &

Suddenly the source had stopped yelling and hung now weakly in his chains, breathing heavily.  
"Hey," Cole asked softly, "are you alright?"  
Belthazor nodded: "It's over."  
The witch, who's hand was still held by the demon, frowned: "Are you sure?... I mean... that this isn't just a break or something?"  
"He's dead, I felt it... I felt him burn before he left my mind," he replied with a deep sigh. And when he looked up, Cole knew it was true. The darkness had faded away from the demon's eyes.  
"Free me, please," the source said with an almost pleading voice. Cole nodded and Belthazor let go off his hand.  
The witch winced, feeling suddenly a strong pain from his broken hand.  
"What?... Oh my..." the source exclaimed, "did I...?"  
Cole smiled weakly: "Don't worry, we have some pretty good healers at home." Then he opened the chains around the demon's feet and then those around his arms.  
Belthazor, as soon as he had lost this support, broke down to his knees exhausted, almost pulling Cole with him. "Wow... easy brother..." the witch said. He helped the demon to sit on the bed. "Are you sure, you're fine?"  
The source nodded. Then he looked at Cole's hand: "I'm really sorry for that..."  
"Don't be," Cole replied. It was weird, but... he really cared about Belthazor and that he was fine was more important to him than his broken bones.  
"Thanks," the demon said after a moment of silence. "Thanks for being here... for me."  
Cole nodded: "That's what family is for."

& & & & &

"Detective Morris? What's going on here?" one of the agents asked.  
"Emm... well..." Darryl looked from Leo to Kyle, who shrugged. Then he turned to the man from the FBI again: "Well... we're following a trace to the latest robberies... those monster-stories... We had a hint that..." He was suddenly interrupted by a kind of light that washed over them and froze the FBI agents right in the spot.  
"What's going on here?" Kyle asked warily looking around, same as Darryl.  
Leo checked their surroundings and then shook his head: "I don't know."  
The next moment a light appeared in front of them and changed into two men, dressed completely in white.  
"Are those...?" Darryl asked.  
Leo nodded: "The Cleaners."  
"Congratulations Leo," one of the two men said without paying attention to the others, "your son is a very special and strong person."  
"So you let him go?" Leo asked, trying not to show his anger.  
The Cleaners both nodded. Then the second one waved his hand and another light washed over the whole place. When it was gone, a couple of yards away suddenly stood a table with a golden rope, a mask and some stuff from the robberies on it, and a chair on which a human-looking demon was chained. "His fingerprints are everywhere on all this stuff... The FBI won't doubt it was him..."  
"Thanks." Leo said.  
"Wait, who is this?" Darryl asked.  
The first Cleaner turned around to him: "That's the robber." Darryl wanted to ask back if it was really the one, or if he was just someone, the Cleaner used to cover things up... actually he believed more in his second thought, from what he had heard about those guys.  
But that moment the Cleaners disappeared and the world around them started moving again.  
"So? You did what?" the FBI agent asked, pulling Darryl out of his thoughts..  
He looked at the agent a little unsure, then he said: "We caught the robber."

& & & & &

Also around the manor, things had changed. The reporters and the curious neighbours where gone, and so was the rest of the FBI-team. All was quiet as usual.  
When Chris and Bianca shimmered home, the sisters where already back. They immediately ran over and hugged them tightly, so relieved to see them save and healthy. Then Piper noticed that her son was still a little weak from exhaustion and forced Chris to lay down on the sofa.  
Chris hadn't the chance to complain, because his aunts started fuzzing around him, like he was a sick child. And to top it all, a few moments later Piper arrived with a small bowl of her famous chicken soup. Bianca couldn't help but chuckle, while her husband rolled his eyes. But inside Chris felt so happy and relieved that actually he didn't really care that his mom was treating him like a baby...  
Another moment later Silas orbed in with Michael, Angela and the kids. Yuri had informed them, that it was done... The Elder had Hope in his arms and gave the girl to her father. Chris smiled down at her with watery eyes, while Wyatt jumped on the sofa by his side. "You're fine?" he asked.  
Chris looked at his brother smiling, then nodded. Wyatt smiled too and put his small arms around one of Chris's while they both watched the small girl.  
Piper meanwhile was calming down Christopher who started to scream soon after they had arrived. "I guess he needs a new diaper," she excused herself and went up to the nursery.  
While Angela sat down next to Bianca - hugging her, relieved that they were back, Michael went over to Chris, too. Standing behind the sofa he smiled down at him and said: "Don't dare to scare me like that again, alright?"  
Chris nodded: "Thanks for everything, Mike."  
Michael nodded: "Oh and... greetings from 'the quartet'. Usually they would have come on their own, but they have some family things to deal with... Don't know what exactly." Chris just nodded.  
That moment Odin orbed in. Of course he wanted to check if Chris was fine, on his own. He smiled at the young man and patted his shoulder. Then Piper returned and Odin beamed when she asked him, if he wanted to take care of Christopher a little.

& & & & &

Belthazor looked up at his eyes surprised, when Cole called him family. He hadn't expect to hear those words from him. But before he could say something Julian shimmered in.  
"God B.! Are you alright?" he asked, his voice filled with worry. The source nodded, looking at him as if he would see a ghost but then pulled the demonic witch into a strong hug.  
And when Julian hugged him back, he muttered: "It's good to see that he didn't hurt you..."  
"Where is Chris?" Cole asked then. As much as he was relieved that Belthazor was fine, and as much as this scene in front of him amused him, he needed to know.  
Julian feed himself from the hug and smiled at him: "At home... Come one, I'll take you there."

& & & & &

Short after that Cole found himself in the manor's hallway. Turning around he noticed that Julian was already gone again, probably to make sure that B. was fine. So he entered the living room. And when Cole saw Chris sitting on the sofa, he ran over to him and hugged him tightly. He had been so scared to lose his nephew.  
"Ok... Uncle... I'm fine... Please... let me breath..." Chris said chuckling.  
Cole pulled away to look the man in his eyes: "Are you sure you're fine?" Chris nodded smiling.  
But then Cole again winced in pain, when he made a wrong move with his hand. Chris looked at him, and then placed his hands over his to heal him. Seriously he asked: "How's B.?"  
Cole grinned: "He's fine..." But before he could say more a pair of hands pulled him away from Chris and into a close hug.  
"Oh I missed you so much," Phoebe said and kissed him.  
A little while later, the doorbell rang. And when Paige opened the door, some arms were thrown around her tightly. "Hey sweetie," Kyle said smiling.  
Paige smiled back and gave him a kiss on his nose. "Where is Darryl?" she asked then.  
"At the station, writing the report," he answered. Then they followed Leo, who had already entered.  
When the Elder stepped into the living room, he immediately went to Chris. He knelt down next to him and hugged him with teary eyes. Chris was overwhelmed by so much attention, but hugged his father back tightly.  
It felt good to be back at home. It felt good to have a family who loved him so much.

& & & & &

A few hours later Julian and Belthazor sat in their lair in silence.  
"Are you sure you're alright?" the demonic witch asked, and from his voice you could tell that he was truly worried.  
But Belthazor just sighed. To his own surprise he missed the noise, the kids had made while they had been down there, but else he was fine. "How often do you want to ask me that, until you believe that I'm fine, Julian?" he asked finally trying to sound a little annoyed. But inside it felt good to know that he had people who cared so much for him, even if he would never admit it.  
Julian sighed, again thinking about what had happened to him, when they couldn't have vanquished that demon. Because even if everyone had been worried about Chris, Belthazor had been in a hell of a danger, too. "I guess..." he said, "I'll ask as long as you..."  
He was interrupted by a knock on the door. The two friends looked at each other wonderingly. Then Julian went over and asked: "What's the password?"  
"Well... I didn't know that the man who owns Excalibur, needs a password to enter here..." they heard a chuckling voice from the other side. Seconds later Julian opened the door to let Chris in.  
The Elder-witch stood in the middle of the room for a moment, unsure how to start.  
"Well, what do you want?" the source asked.  
Chris shrugged: "I wanted to thank you. Without you I would be 'cleaned' by now... I owe you my life. And actually you saved my ass more than one time before." He felt the eyes of the others lie on him, watching him with suspicion. So he took a deep breath and went on to get this done quickly. "Well, I'm here, because I think it's time to pay some of that back... " And with those words he gave Belthazor a little red, silky bag.  
The source nodded and opened it. He pulled out an amulet. It was made of silver, in the shape of a pentacle, with a green crystal in the middle.  
Belthazor and Julian looked at their guest surprised. "What...?" the first one tried to ask.  
But Chris interrupted him: "This is a magical amulet. It protects those, who have a good soul, from any kind of witch magic... as long as your intentions are good, no witch will be able to harm you."  
Julian let out the breath he had been holding, while Belthazor turned that amulet around in his hand, deep in thoughts. Then he looked back at Chris, his eyes a little glassy. He smiled and said: "Thanks."  
Chris smiled back, feeling vindicated by the emotional reaction of the 'source of all evil'. "No need to thank me, " he said, "you did much more than that..."  
Julian smiled. He felt happy for his friend. That amulet was an amazing gift.  
Belthazor stood up and shook Chris's hand: "Well... I hope we'll meet again."  
Chris nodded: "Me, too." Then he orbed back home.

* * *

_(Chapter 11 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)_

* * *

**So much for Part Eleven of our series. we hope you all enjoyed reading it! And we finished "A Charmed Story - Part Twelve" on time so that the first chapter will be up on Friday, June 20th... Thanks to everyone for the support. And... stay tuned!  
**


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